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Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is not ready to save the world, especially in the isolation of space. This adaptation of Andy Weir’s sci-fi novel has been rightly praised for its visual spectacle and heartfelt sentiment, made all the more captivating by the fact that Gosling spends around half its screen time with only a spider-like alien, whom he nicknames Rocky, for company.

Award-winning puppeteer James Ortiz and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop veteran Neal Scanlan brought Rocky to life, with additional digital wizardry and animatronics seamlessly integrating the creature into the storyworld. Eschewing their original idea to lend a famous voice to Rocky, the directors instead had Ortiz both voice and operate him, so he worked with Gosling on set as any other actor would, culminating in the characters’ powerful emotional connection.

M | Science fiction themes