The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Project Hail Mary with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Guillermo del Toro (Ep. 611)

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Show Notes

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller discuss their new film, Project Hail Mary, with fellow Director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss finding depth in their characters by trying to see the good intentions is everyone including antagonists, the casting and puppeteering processes that helped realize the alien character of Rocky, and bringing their philosophy of trying to make encouraging films to this feature.

The film tells the story of scientist Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spaceship as part of a desperate mission to stop the Earth’s sun from dying. On his own and millions of miles from home, he has a chance meeting with an alien on the same mission, forming a friendship that may prove to be the key to success.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/june2026/projecthailmary_qna_0426

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