We haven’t had a lot of new movies coming together over the last month or so, which makes this bit of news even more deliciously enticing than it already is. MGM is currently in talks to acquire the rights to the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s next novel. Weir has previously written The Martian, which turned into a Best Picture nominee and commercial/critical smash, as well as Artemis, which is still set up to be a project helmed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Now, his next effort is going to be getting the cinematic treatment too, with a massive A-lister attached to the starring role. Who might that be? Well, none other than Ryan Gosling, that’s who. Even though the book (called Project Hail Mary) is not due out until next year, MGM is setting this up. Gosling in the lead role as well as producing is an excellent start, suggesting that a huge filmmaker will undoubtedly end up helming. Especially if the right writer(s) and director end up coming aboard, this has a ton of potential. According to reports, the plot is twisty and being kept a secret, but involves the following (according to Deadline’s exclusive): “The book is described as a solitary tale of an astronaut on a space ship who is tasked with saving the planet. There are some very clever twists that I won’t give away here, but is consistent with the ingenuity that made The Martian a thrilling ride. Gosling is attached to play the astronaut.” Personally, I love Gosling and I love Weir, so the combination is positively tantalizing. Obviously, this won’t launch for quite some time, but with the book to look forward to first, this is at least something nice to keep in the back of your mind… Stay tuned for more on Project Hail Mary! (Source: Deadline)