Amazon MGM closed out CinemaCon in Las Vegas last night with a late presentation featuring a big group of stars, underscoring their commitment to theatrical release – or at least that’s how they intend to be perceived. Among the many projects for which they were driving anticipation: Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, based on the book by the same name.
Ryan plays a middle school science teacher who ends up an astronaut who has to save the earth and in the process meets an alien who is also on a similar mission for their planet, wherever that is. He told the audience that the project is an “insanely ambitious story, massive in scope” and this is likely how they’ll be marketing it: a big cinematic swing that must be seen in theatres, opening next March. So it’s going to be a year until Ryan’s back at the movies, but they’re already trying to build the hype even as they filmmakers are probably still deep in post-production. What they’re hoping for is a result not unlike Ridley Scott’s The Martian, starring Matt Damon, from ten years ago. How has it already been a decade?!
Anyway, good to see Ryan since he’s been pretty low profile lately and after this he’ll go back into stealth mode until the press tour starts for Project Hail Mary because his Star Wars movie with Shawn Levy is still in development. His involvement certainly advanced the project in terms of priority but that doesn’t mean the story is ready. There was an update from the writer, Jonathan Tropper, a couple of days ago and it was encouraging but it also didn’t sound like they’re anywhere near shooting.
In addition to Ryan though, Amazon’s star power at the presentation last night also included Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, and so many more assembled to promote the upcoming theatrical slate. Of course there was a selfie to commemorate the occasion.
Ayo and Andrew were there with Luca Guadagnino for After the Hunt. They are just two members of an impressive ensemble led by Julia Roberts who plays a university professor dealing with a situation involving a top student (Ayo) accusing another professor (Andrew) of misconduct. In footage shown at the event, there’s a scene in which Andrew refers to Ayo as “this lying little f-cking bitch”.
Ayo’s an internet favourite. Andrew is an internet boyfriend. They’re going head to head in this film and they’re also both chaotic in interviews so the press tour for this film is going to cause a social media meltdown.
It’s already starting…
