10 Sci-Fi Movies To Watch As A Perfect Double Feature With Project Hail Mary

Since arriving in theaters this past March, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary has become the definitive space-faring experience of the year. Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ryland Grace perfectly anchors the movie’s unique blend of high-stakes science, existential dread, and an unexpected, heartwarming intergalactic friendship. It’s the kind of movie that leaves you staring at the stars, craving more stories that balance technical ingenuity with deeply human—and non-human—connection.

Now that the sci-fi epic is finally hitting streaming on Prime Video, it’s the perfect time to curate a double feature.

To help you dive straight into your next marathon, here are 10 sci-fi movies that serve as the ideal companions to Ryland Grace’s mission—and the best part is that every single one of these titles is currently free to stream for Prime members.

The Tomorrow War

Release Date

July 2, 2021

Runtime

138 minutes

Director

Chris McKay

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This story follows Dan Forester (Chris Pratt), a high school teacher and former soldier who finds himself unexpectedly drafted into a desperate, last-ditch war taking place in the future. He joins a global team tasked with traveling forward in time to prevent a lethal species from completely overwhelming the planet, bringing high-energy combat to a fight for humanity’s survival.

It serves as a perfect companion to Ryland’s mission because it captures the frantic urgency of a world racing against an extinction-level clock, focusing on the sheer physical effort required to protect civilization from an unstoppable threat. It provides a punchy, aggressive contrast to the more methodical, physics-based problem-solving found in Project Hail Mary, offering a high-octane change of pace that keeps the excitement level high.

The Vast Of Night

Release Date

July 2, 2021

Runtime

138 minutes

Director

Chris McKay

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Also included with your Prime membership, this movie is set in 1950s New Mexico and follows a quick-witted switchboard operator (Sierra McCormick) and a charismatic radio DJ (Jake Horowitz) who stumble upon a mysterious, rhythmic frequency on the airwaves. They begin a night-long investigation into the source of the sound as it ripples through their small town, uncovering something that defies explanation.

With a grounded, dialogue-driven look at the mechanics of discovery that perfectly mirrors the scientific curiosity at the heart of Andy Weir’s work. It pairs well with Ryland’s story because it focuses on the intense focus and intellectual labor required to make sense of the unknown, utilizing radio technology to bridge the gap between our world and something much larger. What’s more, it feels like both stories could come true soon—not tomorrow—but soon.

Stargate

Release Date

October 28, 1994

Runtime

121 minutes

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A classic in every way, the plot follows an Egyptologist (James Spader) who finally decodes a massive, ancient stone ring found in Giza. This device creates a stable wormhole to a distant planet, leading a military unit—led by Kurt Russell—to travel across the galaxy to investigate a culture that mirrors the ancient society they spent their lives studying on Earth.

The story brilliantly highlights the intersection of history, archaeology, and futuristic space travel. It matches the discovery-based spirit of our main feature, showcasing how researchers and soldiers react when they are thrust into a world that defies their entire understanding of how the universe works, proving that exploration is always an adventure into the unknown.

The Peripheral

Release Date

2022 – 2022-00-00

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Scott B. Smith

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  Chloe Grace Moretz

  Flynne Fisher

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The Prime original series introduces Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz), a woman living in a future Appalachia who discovers a way to access a link to a much more advanced, dystopian London. She soon realizes that her actions in this simulated environment have tangible, life-altering consequences for both her own timeline and the world she is visiting.

Built on intricate, futuristic technology and high-concept stakes, the series rewards those who enjoy the step-by-step problem-solving found in Ryland’s journey through the cosmos. It offers a complex, multi-layered look at how advanced science changes the fabric of society, making it a compelling, immersive follow-up watch for anyone who wants to dive deep into the mechanics of a “what if” future.

Donnie Darko

Release Date

October 26, 2001

Runtime

114 minutes

Director

Richard Kelly

Directed by Richard Kelly, this 2001 cult classic follows a troubled teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) who experiences terrifying, apocalyptic visions of a sinister figure in a rabbit suit. As he uncovers the truth behind these events, the story spirals into a surreal, dark investigation of time travel, destiny, and the thin line between reality and hallucination.

If Project Hail Mary is your optimistic, scientific anchor, Donnie Darko is the perfect way to flip the vibe entirely. It trades the hard-science procedural for a moody, psychological journey that feels just as immersive but significantly more haunting, making for a fascinating tonal shift.

Minority Report

Release Date

June 21, 2002

Runtime

145 minutes

Set in a future where police can predict crimes before they happen, this film stars Tom Cruise as a detective in the specialized “Precrime” unit. When he is suddenly accused of a murder he hasn’t committed yet, he must go on the run to prove his innocence and uncover the deep, systemic flaws in the technology he helped build.

This pairing works because it leans into the near-future aesthetic while challenging the optimism of scientific progress. While Ryland Grace uses science to save the world, Minority Report highlights the dangerous cost of trusting in technology without question, providing a perfect, cynical counterweight.

Pandorum

This intense space-thriller follows two crew members (Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster) who wake up from hypersleep on a massive, drifting spacecraft with no memory of their mission or who they are. As they explore the ship, they discover they aren’t alone and must fight to prevent the total extinction of the human race while dealing with the psychological toll of deep-space isolation.

If you want to move from the camaraderie of space to the pure, suffocating horror of it, this is your pick. It captures the visceral, claustrophobic dread of being truly alone in the dark, providing a stark, pulse-pounding shift away from the collaborative spirit seen in Project Hail Mary.

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers

Release Date

December 22, 1978

Runtime

116 minutes

Director

Philip Kaufman

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  Donald Sutherland

  Matthew Bennell

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In this 1978 classic, a health inspector (Donald Sutherland) in San Francisco discovers that humans are being replaced by emotionless, alien duplicates that grow from mysterious pods. As the takeover spreads through the city, he and his colleagues must find a way to escape before the duplicates consume everyone they know.

This movie subverts the first contact experience entirely. Where Ryland’s bond with his counterpart is defined by dialogue and mutual survival, this story explores the terrifying inverse: a silent, invasive, and cold takeover that leaves no room for understanding or compromise.​​​​​​​

Battleship

Release Date

May 18, 2012

Runtime

131 minutes

Director

Peter Berg

Based on the classic board game, this action-packed epic follows an officer (Taylor Kitsch) and a crew of naval ships who unexpectedly encounter an alien fleet during a maritime exercise. When the aliens deploy a massive shield that traps the ships, the human crew must find a way to outmaneuver their technologically superior opponents using analog tactics.

Sometimes you just want the spectacle. This is the perfect popcorn choice for your marathon. It ditches cerebral, long-form problem-solving for pure, high-energy military action, providing a fun, loud change of pace from the more thoughtful, mission-focused narrative of our main feature.

Interstellar

Release Date

November 5, 2014

Runtime

169 minutes

Christopher Nolan’s epic takes the concept of a dying Earth and pushes it into the realm of gravity, time dilation, and the limits of love. It is perhaps the most ambitious companion to our central movie, dealing with the same “we have to go to space to save our kids” motivation. Watching the two back-to-back creates a massive, immersive evening of high-concept science fiction that spans the galaxy.

Where Project Hail Mary leans into the procedural charm of science, Interstellar leans into the poetic. The visuals of the black hole Gargantua are as iconic as any imagery in modern cinema, providing a grand, operatic scope that complements the tighter, mission-focused narrative of Ryland Grace’s journey. It’s a double feature for those who want to contemplate the physics of the universe while simultaneously cheering for the endurance of the human spirit.