Long-time readers will know how much I actually detest most Christian entertainment despite being a Christian myself. I get incredibly frustrated with a lot of it, not just because it's often thin on plot and character development and entirely message-heavy, but also because I feel like a lot of these Christian creators — from film to music — tie their products' success to your loyalty to, and love for, Christ.
If the film or song didn't get enough movement financially, it's because you didn't love Jesus enough. It was your responsibility to get it out and spread it around to everyone, but not necessarily the creator's responsibility to make sure it was good enough to maximize its popularity naturally.
I've long argued that the best Christian content was never for the church. It was for everyone else, because it forces the creator to speak a far more artistic language that isn't so on the nose... ya know, exactly how Jesus did it.
What's interesting is that I didn't realize I'd witnessed exactly what I wanted in theaters this year already, but I felt it. The movie was being referred to as "hopecore," which I agreed with wholeheartedly, and I hoped that we all got more of it in the future.
That movie was called "Project Hail Mary," and I didn't realize it, but it's such a Christian film that didn't feel like one, even though some of the signs were right there in front of me. I didn't recognize it until, very recently, Pastor Josh Howerton, who had watched the movie, pointed out how this entire film is effectively a reference to Christ's sacrifice to save us all.
OK, here's my thesis: "Project Hail Mary," starring @RyanGosling, is actually a CHRISTIAN movie.
— Josh Howerton (@howertonjosh) July 27, 2026
Now, all of this could theoretically be a coincidence, but let me make my case 👇 pic.twitter.com/RqLXuUYFPI
As he notes, it all lines up. The main character, Ryland Grace, is sent into certain death to save everyone else. His alien cohort, named Rocky, is the rock by which Grace builds his entire rescue. His entire adventure is kicked off by a woman named Eva. The long shot of a project is called "Hail Mary," which is something the Catholics will adore.
But once you put it all together, that grace saved a decaying universe after Eve's actions began the whole thing, and that Christ built his church upon the "rock" that was Peter, and what's more, Christ made himself a sacrifice to accomplish that end.
Obviously, the film is not a one-to-one beat of Christ's journey, but if the theories are correct, then the point wasn't to mirror His story, but to borrow heavily from it. I'm incredibly surprised I didn't catch it, but that's just a testament to how well the tale was told. However, as I mentioned earlier, I did feel it. The story was full of hope, fun, tragedy, and wonder. Despite the end of the universe approaching, the deaths, the disasters, and the moments where it felt like all hope was lost, the movie was so full of hope that even when it got dark, you didn't fall into a nihilistic feeling.
This film was nothing short of fantastic. A breath of fresh air from an industry that can't get out of its own way when it comes to "modern" storytelling.
To be clear, there is no confirmation that this movie was intended to be related to Christian beliefs in any regard, and author Andy Weir is a confirmed agnostic. I don't think it matters, though. What was produced is so Christian, not just in name, but in feel, that I honestly think that any creators in the Christian space should take notes.
This is how you do it. Jesus told parables that got His point across. Christians should do the same. You don't need to be on the nose about it. I would even say I would avoid making Christian content that would meet the approval of the front row of the church.
Just tell a human story and put God over it. You don't have to reference Him. Tolkien surely didn't, but you could feel the influence of God in the story. The traits and virtues He wants you to have pushed forward. Clear lines of good and evil. Hope in the face of hopelessness. Action taken, even if the chances are slim. Faith that it'll work out right, even if you can't figure out how.
