12 Movies Like Project Hail Mary You Need to Watch
Find smart, tense, and emotional sci-fi picks like Project Hail Mary, from Spaceman and Passengers to Ash, Rubikon, and more.
If you’re searching for movies like Project Hail Mary, you probably want a mix of space survival, sharp humor, and that big, lonely sci-fi feeling. This list brings together titles that hit similar notes in different ways, from the tense isolation of Spaceman and High Life to the more human, character-driven tension of Passengers and Rubikon. You’ll also find newer picks such as Ash, Slingshot, and Ick, plus the original Project Hail Mary (2026) itself for anyone tracking the film’s release path. Some lean into adventure, some into drama, and a few add action or comedy to keep the journey unpredictable. Together, they make a strong starting point for anyone who wants smart, atmospheric space stories with real emotional pull.
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01
Ick
action · comedy · horror · sci-fi
Science teacher Hank’s life changes when he reconnects with his first love and suspects that a new student may be his daughter—all while facing an alien threat in their town.
Directed by Joseph KahnCast Brandon Routh, Malina Pauli Weissman, Harrison Cone, Taia Sophia, Zeke JonesAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
02
Ad Astra
1 Oscar nomination
adventure · drama · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
The near future, a time when both hope and hardships drive humanity to look to the stars and beyond. While a mysterious phenomenon menaces to destroy life on planet Earth, astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across the immensity of space and its many perils to uncover the truth about a lost expedition that decades before boldly faced emptiness and silence in search of the unknown.
Directed by James GrayCast Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland, Kimberly EliseNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
03
Spaceman
adventure · drama · romance · sci-fi
Six months into a solo mission, a lonely astronaut confronts the cracks in his marriage with help from a mysterious creature he discovers on his ship.
Directed by Johan RenckCast Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella RosselliniNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
Rubikon
drama · sci-fi · thriller
The company soldier Hannah and the scientists Gavin and Dimitri are researching an algae project on board the Rubikon space station, which is supposed to permanently supply humanity with oxygen and food. But suddenly the earth disappears below them in a brown, toxic fog and all contact is broken off - are they the last survivors of humanity? Should they initiate the safe station, dare the return flight and thereby risk their lives?
Directed by Magdalena LauritschCast Julia Franz Richter, George Blagden, Mark Ivanir, Nicholas Monu, Daniela KongAMC+More details on IMDb → -
05
Ash
action · adventure · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive.
Directed by Flying LotusCast Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah KoaleHuluAMC+More details on IMDb → -
06
Slingshot
mystery · sci-fi · thriller
An elite trio of astronauts aboard a years-long, possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan, gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot manoeuvre that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space.
Directed by Mikael HåfströmCast Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Emily Beecham, Tomer Capone, David MorrisseyHuluMore details on IMDb → -
07
High Life
drama · sci-fi · thriller
Monte and his daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to deep space. The crew—death-row inmates led by a doctor with sinister motives—has vanished. As the mystery of what happened onboard the ship is unraveled, father and daughter must rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole.
Directed by Claire DenisCast Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André 3000, Mia Goth, Agata BuzekAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
08
The Space Between Us
drama · romance · sci-fi
A young man raised by scientists on Mars returns to Earth to find his father.
Directed by Peter ChelsomCast Gary Oldman, Janet Montgomery, Trey Tucker, Scott Takeda, Adande 'Swoozie' ThorneHuluMore details on IMDb → -
09
The Astronaut
horror · sci-fi · thriller
After returning from her first space mission, astronaut Sam Walker is placed under NASA’s care at a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing. However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth
Directed by Jess VarleyCast Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Ivana Milicevic, Macy GrayHuluMore details on IMDb → -
10
Signal One
mystery · sci-fi
A computer scientist is invited by a tech billionaire to join his private facility on a Caribbean island to investigate extraterrestrial matter on Earth. When they make contact beyond our world, chaos erupts as we’re left to wonder: do they come in peace?
Directed by Jonathan SobolCast Isabelle Fuhrman, Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Josh Hutcherson, Raoul BhanejaHuluMore details on IMDb → -
11
The Tomorrow War
action · adventure · drama · sci-fi · thriller
The world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester. Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist and his estranged father in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.
Directed by Chris McKayCast Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam RichardsonAmazon Prime VideoFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
12
Constellation
sci-fi · thriller
When a fatal accident occurs on board the International Space Station, a lone astronaut makes the heroic journey back to Earth, only to discover key pieces of her life—including her young daughter—have changed.
Directed by Joseph Cedar, Oliver Hirschbiegel, Michelle MacLarenCast Noomi Rapace, Jonathan Banks, James D'Arcy, Rosie Coleman, Davina ColemanApple TV PlusMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
Whether you came for the science fiction, the survival stakes, or the offbeat humor, these picks give you plenty to explore beyond one movie. From stripped-down dramas to more adventurous, action-leaning stories, each title offers a different angle on isolation, hope, and the challenge of making it home. If you’re building a watchlist for the weekend, bookmark this page and come back whenever you need a fresh recommendation. We update it regularly, so the mix stays current as new releases and streaming favorites enter the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Project Hail Mary?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.