“Project Hail Mary” trailer breaks record with 400 million views in one week: “Rarely been this excited to see a movie”

The first trailer for Project Hail Mary just became the most-watched trailer for an original movie. Ever.

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In just seven days, the Project Hail Mary trailer shattered industry expectations. According to WaveMetrix, it amassed over 400 million global views in a week. That is the highest ever for a trailer that isn’t a sequel or remake. Additionally, the trailer marked the most successful launch in Amazon MGM Studios’ history.

The film stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a lone science teacher-turned-astronaut who must save Earth from a mysterious threat. In the story, an alien microorganism begins to drain the sun’s energy, pushing humanity toward extinction. According to IMDb, Gosling’s character “wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.” His memories slowly start to come back to him over the course of the movie. Ryland discovers the mission he was sent to complete, which is to figure out what is causing the sun to die and stop it.

Though the movie won’t release until March 20, 2026, fans are already hyped. Co-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, best known for The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street, teased their Comic-Con plans shortly after the trailer’s success. They will appear in San Diego alongside Gosling, author Andy Weir, and screenwriter Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods).

Andy Weir’s novel heads to the big screen

Project Hail Mary is based on Andy Weir’s 2021 novel of the same name. The book, a Hugo Award finalist in 2022, follows in the footsteps of Weir’s bestselling hit The Martian. Just like that earlier novel, Project Hail Mary blends science, suspense, and humor, making it a prime candidate for cinematic adaptation.

Joining Gosling are Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) and The Bear’s Lionel Boyce. The trailer’s record-breaking numbers show a level of anticipation rarely seen for original IP.

On social media, reactions were overwhelmingly positive. Users praised the visuals, emotional stakes, and Gosling’s performance. “If you make great films, great audiences will appear,” one person posted on X. Others noted the adaptation’s faithful tone and stunning effects.

“I have rarely been this excited to see a movie. Jazz hands forever!” wrote @imaginepageant on YouTube.

Another person commented, “I saw the trailer and decided to read the book. I haven’t read a book in 20 years.. Could. not. put. it. down. Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Amaze.”

There were also those critical of calling the film an “original” movie, since it is an adaptation of a novel.

Someone else joked, “Thought it was a Ken-centric Barbie sequel and the story made sense to me!”

Even the directors were stunned. Miller and Lord both tweeted nearly identical posts, writing “Holy Moly. Thank you all you glorious generous fans of movies / books / near light speed space travel / the Sun for pushing the trailer for Project Hail Mary past 400 million views – the most in one week for a film that’s not a sequel or a remake… ever.” They confirmed their Comic-Con appearance in Hall H and promised fans “a great show” with “a few other surprises.”

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