Brendan Fraser is heading to Mars. The Oscar-winning star of The Whale has signed on for Starman, a new sci-fi film executive produced by David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight). The project is currently being shopped at the Cannes Film Market and is expected to begin production this summer.
In Starman, Fraser plays Tom Adams, a visionary scientist leading humanity's first historic mission to Mars. But when something goes catastrophically wrong, he finds himself stranded millions of miles from Earth. Alone and fighting for survival, Adams must rely on his wits—and the memory of the love he left behind—to find a way home. It's a premise that will feel instantly familiar to fans of Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, blending high-stakes space survival with emotional depth.
The film is written and directed by Josh Wakely, making his feature debut after creating the Netflix animated series Beat Bugs and Motown Magic. Wakely also produces alongside Rebecca Graham for Grace: A Storytelling Company. David S. Goyer executive produces with Tarek Sherif, Ryan Graves, and Sight Unseen's Julia Lebedev. Eddie Vaisman of Sight Unseen, who produced Fraser's recent film Rental Family, is also on board as a producer.
Fraser's career has been on a remarkable upswing since his Oscar win. Last year, he starred in Rental Family, a drama about an American actor in Japan who works as a stand-in family member. This summer, he'll appear in Pressure, the true story of the D-Day weather forecast, playing General Dwight D. Eisenhower opposite Andrew Scott's meteorologist James Stagg. He also stars in the crime drama Diamond alongside Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Vicky Krieps, and Andy Garcia, which premieres at Cannes this month.
Looking further ahead, Fraser is set to reprise his iconic role in a new The Mummy sequel, reuniting with Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. He's also attached to Barry Levinson's Assassination, a mystery thriller about the JFK assassination. Meanwhile, fans of his earlier work can catch The Mummy riding a streaming wave ahead of the upcoming sequel.
For those craving more space adventures, Dune: Part Three is getting a stunning art book ahead of its December 2026 release. And if you're in the mood for a different kind of survival story, Matthew McConaughey's Sahara is finding new life as a Mummy substitute on Paramount+.
Starman promises to be a thrilling addition to Fraser's sci-fi comeback, offering a mix of isolation, ingenuity, and heart. With Goyer's pedigree and Wakely's fresh vision, this is one mission you won't want to miss.
