Project Hail Mary
NZ release: 14 March 2026
Suitable for mature audiences Rated on: 19 February 2026
What’s it about?
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
The facts
- Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Lego Movie)
- English language
- Runtime: 156 minutes
- Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller
- Based on the book by Andy Weir
Why did it get this rating?
This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.
Content that may disturb
The film portrays a character going on a one-way space trip. We see him being forced against his will into the role, including being chased and injected with a sedative. We see him dealing with the emotion and discomfort of waking up in space after a long voyage.
In a flashback an astronaut mentions their preferred way to die would be to take a lethal drug with a side of heroin. The context is in preparing for departure the astronauts where they self-select their method of death once they’ve completed their mission and they’re unable to return to Earth.
We see a character with a bag of vodka, who subsequently appears to be intoxicated.
We briefly see the faces of two dead astronauts who have died in transit during a long space voyage.
During a fast-paced space flight that’s out of control we see a pilot’s head smash into the console. There’s blood on their face and it’s not immediately clear if they have survived or not.
We see a character being injected in the neck by a robotic arm.
Offensive language
There is mild language in the film which is mostly used when angry, yelling for emphasis. The strongest language includes ‘piss off’, ‘hell’, and a miscommunication where a character says ‘I fist your bump’.
When content stays with you:
We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.
Further information
Recent featured decisions
Age rating and content warnings
Sasha is an experienced climber and kayaker grieving the death of her husband. She heads into the Australian wilderness for a solo adventure. What starts as a trip to clear her head turns into a brutal fight for survival when she discovers a seemingly friendly local is actually hunting her through the remote national park.
Violence, self-harm, and content that may disturb
An American musical drama-thriller. A famous singer reunites with her estranged designer friend, hoping she will create the perfect dress for her upcoming return to the stage.