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Science vs Cinema 29 Mar 2026 35 here now

Andy Weir on PROJECT HAIL MARY's Science | 40+ Minute Deep Dive with Astrophysicist Andy Howell

PROJECT HAIL MARY Author Andy Weir talks in-depth about the Science in the novel and the film with Astophysicist Andy Howell who was a Science Advisor on the novel.

00:00 Interview Preview
00:53 Cons

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It's a testament to how good a story PHM is, that the script writer and directors wanted to keep as much as possible from the book. No one came up with "my vision" and other types of demands that end up ruining book-to-screen conversions. I think everyone was already in love with the story.
EDIT: Many differences: how Rocky eats, Rocky/Grace interaction after The Event, how old Grace is on Erid and what happened to him, etc.
EDIT 2: IMHO the best sequel would be: Grace is now old and ready to go home. By then Eridians are savvy space travellers.
Rocky and Adrian join him on the voyage back. Since Eridians live a long time, they don't mind 20-30 odd years to go there and back again.
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@krixpop From YouTube ↗ 21 May 2026 1
A man and his best friend ... a Rock ...
Pure bliss !
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one of the most intresting interviews with andy
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I love this. I have seen many videos about the "Project Hail Mary" movie, so lots of prep for for seeing it, which I PLAN to see.
P.S., The astronaut who played the bagpipe and then the scene post- Spock's death with his coffin/casule leaving Enterprise choked me up. Trekkie-YES🖖
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@si_quest From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 5
What an amazing movie
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@Peter_739 From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 18
After reading the book the movie felt like Disneyland ride in comparison.
It's obviously well received and very well made, but in my personal opinion only a TV show could do the book justice.
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I SO hope the DVD has outtakes and edits of Grace and Rocky just shooting the breeze.
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I wish that there was a small part of the movie for blowing Antarctica and showing the Sahara black from space.
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One difference between the book and the movie that I appreciated was Rylan getting to tour Rocky's ship. It surprised me when it never happened in the book
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andy: it’s a long time (movie)
us: not long enough
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@insu_na From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 42
Andy Weir seems like someone who would love Dwarf Fortress
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@zwei-p1993 From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 27
32:36 The book does kinda have this sort of “launch window” thing in it, but the deadline was much longer.

The ship was on a decaying orbit, and it would need an entire rocket to boost it back up if not launched within three weeks. (Chapter 23)
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Having a conversation with someone as passionate as Andy just seems like a great way consume a beer or 2. Andy, if you ever come to NZ, I'll buy you a couple of beers
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@xtuff501 From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 30
I really hope there's going to be an extensive 'making of' documentary for Project Hail Mary! 🙏 It could probably be easily as long as the movie, if not longer! And we would still love it!
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@Im_B9ite From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 20
17:09 I liked the special gene for coma resistance. In my mind it always tied into Stratt keeping Grace around. I figured she’s the kind of person that has backups on backups on backups.
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We need the 5 hrs project hail mary director's cut 😂
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@shingnosis From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 80
Would love a directors cut of Project Hail Mary, it's good but 40 more minutes or so to bring in more stuff from the book would be awesome.
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@barmanvarn From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 209
“The movie is already long”. Andy, a 3 hour movie would have been fine with us. 😊
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@armouros From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 36
this is what its like to ask someone ...tell me about your D & D character...
the excitement is adorable.
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@litciggie From YouTube ↗ 21 Apr 2026 89
could listen to these two nerds nerd out over nerd stuff all day, incredible