Phil Lord and Chris Miller kept their Flash treatment on ice for over a decade. A $140 million Project Hail Mary opening weekend (As of March 29, 2026) just gave it a pulse again. (via Box Office Mojo)

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are not the type to let a good idea die quietly. Back in 2015, the pair were deep inside a Flash movie for Warner Bros. treatment, vision locked. Then Solo: A Star Wars Story pulled them away in 2017, and the whole thing collapsed behind them. Andy Muschietti picked up the wreckage years later. His version premiered on June 16, 2023, to a lukewarm reception. (via Solo Film)

IMDb (As of March 29, 2026)InfoDirected byPhil Lord & Christopher MillerWritten byDrew GoddardBased onProject Hail Mary (2021 novel) by Andy WeirStarringRyan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya KansaraRelease DateMarch 20, 2026StudioAmazon MGM StudiosStreamingIn theaters nowRotten Tomatoes (As of, March 29, 2026)95% | 96%IMDb (As of, March 29, 2026)8.5/10

Lord and Miller watched. And kept their version exactly where it was. That is the part worth paying attention to. This was not a project they shelved and forgot. More than a decade later, they are still bringing it up. In Hollywood, that kind of staying power means something.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Reflect on Their Unmade DC Project

Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary | Credits: Amazon MGM Studios

The conversation resurfaced recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where Lord and Miller sat down with host Josh Horowitz. Lord called what they built a “very elaborate treatment,” one he described as “pretty different” from the film that eventually reached screens. Neither director got into specifics. They did not have to. The protectiveness around it said enough.

Lord’s reasoning for holding onto it was direct. He said they kept the idea because they are “afraid to not be able to use it someday.” That is not detachment. That is a filmmaker who still believes in something and is not ready to sign it away. Miller’s take was even simpler. “It’s a good idea,” he said. Full stop. (via Comicbook)

Their departure from the project in 2017 was never about the concept losing steam. The DC machine of that era was grinding through directors and scripts at a punishing rate. Multiple creative overhauls, shifting mandates from Warner Bros., and a production culture unable to maintain a consistent vision swallowed the project whole. Reports from that period indicate that Lord and Miller’s original treatment actually served as a structural foundation for scripts that followed. Their fingerprints stayed on it long after they left the room. (via comingsoonnet)

How Project Hail Mary‘s Box Office Success Could Reignite the Director’s Chances

Project Hail Mary settled many unspoken questions about Lord and Miller’s standing in Hollywood. The Ryan Gosling-led sci-fi film opened to over $140 million globally, Amazon MGM’s single biggest theatrical debut. For a duo that had carried the shadow of their Solo exit for years, that opening weekend was more than a win. It was a reset. (via Boardroom)

The credibility piece matters here. Studios greenlight on trust as much as talent, and Lord and Miller have rebuilt both. Their Spider-Verse films did not just perform; they rewrote how the industry thinks about animated storytelling and multiverse structure. That second point is particularly relevant. The Flash, as a character, is built almost entirely around multiverse mechanics. The directors who arguably perfected that framework on screen once had a fully developed take on him. That overlap is not lost on anyone paying attention.

DC Studios is also in a different place now. James Gunn and Peter Safran are running a deliberate creative rebuild, with the mandate to prioritize fresh ideas over legacy baggage. That environment is arguably more hospitable to an unconventional Lord and Miller pitch than the old Warner Bros. structure ever was. (via Deadline)

When Horowitz asked about potential DC projects down the line, neither director shut it down. “We get intrigued by things that are intriguing,” Miller said. Lord added that they “loved” Muschietti’s film, a clean, collegial answer that left every door open. (via The Playlist)

Nothing is confirmed. No talks have been reported. But a directing duo at the height of their commercial and critical standing, sitting on an idea they openly refuse to discard, circling a studio actively hunting for its next big swing, the conditions have not been this aligned in a long time.

Would DC take that call? Given everything Lord and Miller just pulled off, the smarter question might be why it has not already.

Still curious about Project Hail Mary? Here is everything you need to know.

What is Project Hail Mary about?

Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up alone on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. As the pieces come back, he realizes he is Earth’s last shot at stopping the sun from dying and he will not be solving it alone.

Who directed Project Hail Mary?

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the filmmakers behind the Spider-Verse franchise and The LEGO Movie, directed the film. It is their first live-action feature since 22 Jump Street in 2014.

Who wrote the screenplay?

Drew Goddard adapted the script. He previously wrote the screenplay for The Martian, also based on an Andy Weir novel.

Is Project Hail Mary based on a book?

Yes, the 2026 film Project Hail Mary is an adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name. Published in 2021, the book earned the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2022.

Where can I watch Project Hail Mary?

The film is in theaters now, including IMAX. Based on Amazon MGM’s standard release pattern, a digital and streaming window is expected roughly 45 days after the theatrical opening.

Do you think Lord and Miller should get another shot at a DC movie? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

Project Hail Mary is currently in theaters

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