Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary” is one of the most important movies of 2026, making $300 million globally in the 2 weeks following its theatrical launch on March 20.
It seems that the person behind the story has a San Diego connection.
The movie, which stars Ryan Gosling, follows grade-school science instructor Ryland Grace, who’s tasked with saving the planet on his personal in an area mission that has no round-trip again to Earth. Along the way in which, he meets an alien who he finds out has the identical aim he does.
New York Times best-selling creator Andy Weir studied laptop science and engineering at UC San Diego, however after some time, he has mentioned, he couldn’t afford to attend and was confronted with the choice to depart faculty.
“I was there for four years, but then I ran out of money, so I didn’t graduate either,” Weir advised NBC 7. “Fortunately, the job market was great for people who are programming computers.… They figured if you were clever enough to open the door, you’re hired.”
Later, Weir mentioned, he took a three-year sabbatical to work on his writing, and once more encountered hardships.
“Wasn’t able to get an editor, wasn’t able to get publishers interested in the book that I did write,” Weir defined.
Weir returned to work as an engineer however continued to write down as a pastime.
“I always tell people [that] your passion doesn’t have to be your profession,” Weir said. “It’s nice when they align, but they don’t have to. You can do one job to make money, and you can do the thing you enjoy.”
Weir’s first printed e book was 2011’s “The Martian,” which he initially wrote as a serialized weblog and was then picked up by a e book writer. It later turned an Oscar-nominated movie in 2015, starring Matt Damon.
Another work by Weir, “Artemis,” has but to be tailored right into a movement image. When requested a few potential movie based mostly on the story, Weir mentioned, “It may be on the horizon. But, of course, it always comes down to, you know: Is there a studio interested in paying the money to make that happen?”
“Artemis,” of course, is title of the NASA area mission which blasted off this week, sending people to lunar orbit for the first time in greater than 50 years. It launched on Wednesday and is predicted to splash down just 50 miles off the coast of San Diego 10 days later.
Weir, together with folks all over the world, tuned in to look at the historic launch.
“The Artemis II launch is kind of the equal of Apollo 8,” Weir said. “It’ll be neat to be again on our approach. This would be the first time we have despatched folks out of Earth’s orbit since 1972.”
“Godspeed, Artemis II,” Weir mentioned when requested what he would inform the four-person crew. “Good luck and God bless.”
