Project Hail Mary author reveals the one cut book scene he wished they'd squeezed into the movie

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter

Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir says his "only regret" when it comes to the Ryan Gosling-fronted movie adaptation is not managing to squeeze in one particular scene from the 2021 novel.

While appearing as a guest on science-based podcast StarTalk, Weir, who produced the flick, recalled how he and the movie's writer, Drew Goddard, "fought" to keep the moment in which the government sets off nukes in Antarctica in an effort to speed up global warming in the face of the dying Sun.

"We just didn't have time for it because the runtime was going so long," he explained, adding that he thinks Goddard did "a fantastic job" with his big screen take. "But there's a scene in the book where they set off a bunch of nuclear explosions in Antarctica to make an entire ice shelf fall into the ocean." The idea, Weir went on is "that it will melt and release all the methane, which is greenhouse gases, so that Earth will retain more of the heat that it is getting from the Sun. So, they're like, 'We need some global warming.'"

Article continues below

Given that Project Hail Mary comes in at a bladder-testing 156 minutes, it makes sense that there wasn't room for everything on the page to be brought to life. That said, there are moments in the film that weren't actually present in the source material; like Gosling's protagonist Ryland Grace teaching Eridian children on their home planet or glimpses of a present-day Earth in which entire oceans are frozen.

"We see the beginnings of it in the book," Weir said of the dark development. "They're starting to have problems, and a lot of their problems are caused by the amelioration techniques they're proactively doing. Things are going to get worse, but then we're gonna need that heat."

For more, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

Amy WestEntertainment Writer

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.

View More

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout LATEST ARTICLES

1. 1Mewgenics co-creator says "it's crazy" there are secrets that people still haven't found even after playing the roguelike for months
2. 2This top-shelf Hall effect gaming keyboard has a pricing problem, but Amazon's working on it
3. 3As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 further proves Jennifer English is a GOTY magician, one of her co-stars is "happy to follow" her to whatever she does next
4. 4Hasbro's first Marvel Rivals action figures are now up for pre-order, including that awesome Punisher
5. 5New Yoshi game on Switch 2 follows Tomodachi Life down a dark path, gives fans the sort of creative control Nintendo will probably regret