Astronaut Matt Damon Featured In First Photos From Ridley Scott’s THE MARTIAN

Over the holiday weekend, 20th Century Fox released various photos of Matt Damon from the upcoming sci-fi action film, THE MARTIAN.

Based on a best-selling novel by Andy Weir, and helmed by director Ridley Scott, the cast includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

The film will be released in 3D on November 25, 2015.

(via Empire)

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return.

(via EW)

After “the instruments on his suit” convince Damon’s crew that he’s dead, Scott says they decide to hightail it back to Earth, but “discover two and a half months later that he’s alive.” Unfortunately, he won’t be that way for very long, “because frankly he’s got 28 days to live – and that’s if everything goes well for him,” the Prometheus director adds. So, “instead of him collapsing into terror – He knuckles down and actually starts to work out” how long he can survive. (via People)

In April, the first footage of 20th Century Fox’s movie was shown at CinemaCon 2015. Described by io9 as “amazing,” the “footage cuts from famous face to famous face, everyone preparing for a massive NASA launch, and the screen fills with glorious images from the red planet (this is directed by Ridley Scott, after all). It’s truly beautiful.”

With a screenplay by Drew Goddard (WORLD WAR Z, CABIN IN THE WOODS), THE MARTIAN’s impressive below-the-line artists include cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, editor Pietro Scalia, and Production Designer Arthur Max.

What do you need to bring, and how do you minimize the need for delivery of future supplies in order to establish a sustained human presence on a planet 140 million miles away from Earth?

NASA is embarking on an ambitious journey to Mars and earlier this month announced a challenge inviting the public to write down their ideas, in detail, for developing the elements of space pioneering necessary to establish a continuous human presence on the Red Planet. This could include shelter, food, water, breathable air, communication, exercise, social interactions and medicine, but participants are encouraged to consider innovative and creative elements beyond these examples.

For more information about the challenge, and details on how to apply, visit: https://www.innocentive.com/pavilion/NASA

Watch NASA’s newest update on the Mars Curiosity Rover and a human mission to Mars.