‘Project Hail Mary’ Directors Screened a Nearly Four-Hour Cut to Other Filmmakers and Were Told to ‘Get It Way Shorter’: ‘It Was Embarrassing’

Okay, STOP EVERYTHING! You guys are NOT gonna believe what Phil Lord and Chris Miller, our favorite dynamic duo behind some absolute bangers, just spilled on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast about Project Hail Mary—you know, the Ryan Gosling space epic?

So, get this: they screened a *nearly four-hour cut* of the movie to some of their director friends. Like, *four hours*! Can you even picture it? Apparently, it was… well, let’s just say it was less than stellar for them. They described the whole experience as “embarrassing,” confessing their buddies told them straight up, “Get it way shorter!” Oof! Talk about a brutal but necessary reality check, right? You gotta respect friends who’ll tell you your baby is, uh, a bit long in the tooth.

I mean, they did clarify that their *official* test screenings have gone great, which is a HUGE relief because, come on, it’s Lord and Miller! And Gosling! But still, this peek behind the curtain at the early process? Fascinating! Makes you wonder what glorious, maybe slightly self-indulgent, moments got trimmed down from that original monster cut. But hey, that’s filmmaking, isn’t it? Cutting the fat to make the magic shine. And honestly, thank goodness for those honest pals—we’re all gonna get a lean, mean, probably still amazing sci-fi flick thanks to their tough love. Can’t wait for the final product, now knowing the journey it’s been on!