The Big Picture ‘Project Hail Mary’ Will Amaze! Amaze! Amaze! With Phil Lord and Chris Miller
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Mar 20, 2026 
Phil Lord, filmmaker known for inventive, high-profile films, and Chris Miller, filmmaker celebrated for visual inventiveness and collaboration, join to discuss Project Hail Mary. They talk practical puppetry, building rotating ship sets, and making complex science feel clear. Conversations cover tactile production design, score choices, and the logistics of shooting ambitious space scenes.
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Practical Craft Gives Space Drama Emotional Weight
- Project Hail Mary balances big-scale spectacle with intimate, human storytelling to make space drama feel emotionally immediate.
- Lord and Miller prioritized practical, tactile sets and puppetry (Rocky) to earn believability and audience empathy.
Alien Character Drives The Film's Heart
- Rocky the alien is central emotionally, not just visually, and the film succeeds by making audiences care for him as a character.
- Amanda compared Rocky's impact to ET, noting the puppetry created genuine charm and attachment.
Strong First Two Acts, An Overstuffed Finale
- The film's final act feels overstuffed with extra set pieces, producing a baggy ending despite strong earlier momentum.
- Both hosts found the last 15–25 minutes repetitive and noted multiple false endings that dilute emotional payoff.