Ad Astra
The answers we seek are just outside our reach
Country
Production
Genre
Budget
$87 500 000
Box office
$127 461 872
Director
Actors
Scenario
Producer
Brad Pitt, Arnon Milchan, Dede Gardner, James Gray, Anthony Katagas, Jeremy Kleiner, Rodrigo Teixeira, Marc Butan, Michael Schaefer, Yu Dong
Camera operator
Composer
Artist
Kevin Thompson, Sandra Doyle Carmola, Alison Sadler
Audition
Editing
John Axelrad, Lee Haugen
Whole Team (269)
Whole Team (269)
Short description
The near future, a time when both hope and hardships drive humanity to look to the stars and beyond. While a mysterious phenomenon menaces to destroy life on planet Earth, astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across the immensity of space and its many perils to uncover the truth about a lost expedition that decades before boldly faced emptiness and silence in search of the unknown.
What's left behind the scenes
- During the filming of the final scene, Brad Pitt suddenly and unexpectedly began to cry without breaking character, which was not in the script. Since the scene took place in zero gravity, Pitt told the director that the tear should not roll down his cheek, but instead float in front of his face as a droplet, and asked for this to be achieved using CGI. James Gray decided not to change anything, telling Pitt that he had played the scene too well to make any alterations.
- During the filming of the final scene, Brad Pitt suddenly and unexpectedly began to cry, remaining in character, which was not in the script. This scene unfolded in zero gravity, and Pitt told the director that he wanted a tear not to roll down his cheek, but to float in front of his face like a droplet, and asked for this to be done using computer technology. James Gray decided not to change anything, telling Pitt that he had played the scene so well that no changes were needed.
- During the flight from Mars to Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn are mentioned, but Uranus is not mentioned at all. In reality, the planets very rarely align relative to the Sun, so the film's characters may not have even flown past Uranus. Furthermore, it is quite difficult to time a flight to Neptune to pass both Jupiter and Saturn.
- According to James Gray, he and Natasha Lyonne live in the same building. Once, while the film was in pre-production, she asked to come over for dinner; he told her about the movie he was currently working on, she asked for a part, and he found a supporting role for her.
- Tommy Lee Jones' character says that he has cataracts and cannot see. Cataracts form when a person is exposed to solar radiation during prolonged stays in space.
- Before the moon rover scene, Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is told that a full moon is approaching. However, during the drive, the Earth is visible in the lunar sky, more than half-illuminated by the Sun, which means a new moon had recently occurred; therefore, a full moon would not happen for some time.
- To depict the spaceships and outer space itself, director James Gray opted not to use digital technologies, as is common in other modern films, but instead used miniatures and other physical props. To show the surfaces of planets, he also avoided digital effects in favor of still frames. This same technique was used by Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999) while working on the science fiction film '2001: A Space Odyssey' in 1968.
- The photographs of young Tommy Lee Jones in an orange spacesuit are stills from the film "Space Cowboys".
- To depict spaceships and space itself, director James Gray chose not to use digital technology, as is common in other modern films, but instead employed models and other props. When showing the surfaces of planets, he also used non-digital techniques, relying on still frames. This same technique was used by Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999) in his work on the science fiction film "2001: A Space Odyssey" in 1968.
- Roy's ship reaches Neptune using an electro-reactive engine. This explains how he reached his destination without refueling, as it was equipped with solar panels.
- When Brad Pitt's character views highly classified messages, the abbreviation “6EQUJ5” flashes on the screen. Astronomy enthusiasts immediately recognized this as the signal sequence of the “Wow!” signal, received while monitoring space in the direction of the Sagittarius constellation in 1977. The origin of the signal, which could have been the result of extraterrestrial intelligence, remains unexplained, and the signal has never been repeated.
- The voice-over text was absent from the original script and was only added during post-production. A significant portion of the voice-over was written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, who had openly mocked the use of voice-over in the script for Spike Jonze's drama 'Adaptation' (2002).
- The film stars Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones, and Loren Dean. The last time they acted together was for Clint Eastwood in the adventure film 'Space Cowboys' (2000).
- There was no voiceover in the original screenplay; it was added only during post-production. A significant portion of the voiceover was written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, who openly mocked the use of voiceover in the screenplay for Spike Jonze’s drama "Adaptation" (2002).
- Before the scene with the lunar rover ride, Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is informed that a full moon is approaching. However, during the ride, the Earth is visible in the lunar sky, more than half illuminated by the sun, which means that a new moon recently occurred, and therefore the full moon is still some time away.
- According to director James Gray, he had to make concessions to the studio during disputes over the film's ending to get the green light for the project; however, even with Brad Pitt starring and serving as one of the producers, the studio delayed approving the project until the very last moment.
- According to director and screenwriter James Gray, the sound heard repeatedly at the very beginning of the film is a slightly modified and sped-up playback of the words "I love you, son," spoken by Tommy Lee Jones' character.
- The film stars Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones, and Lauren Dean. They last appeared together in Clint Eastwood's adventure film "Space Cowboys" (2000).
- According to director James Gray, he had to make concessions to the studio regarding the film's ending in order to get the green light for the project. Even with Brad Pitt starring and also serving as a producer, the studio hesitated to approve the project until the very last moment.
- The photographs of Tommy Lee Jones's young character in an orange spacesuit are stills from the movie 'Space Cowboys'.
- According to director and screenwriter James Gray, the sound heard repeatedly at the very beginning of the film is a slightly altered and accelerated playback of the words “I love you, son,” spoken by Tommy Lee Jones’ character.
- When Brad Pitt's character views top-secret messages, the abbreviation '6EQUJ5' flashes on the screen. Astronomy enthusiasts immediately recognized this sequence of symbols from the 'Wow!' signal, received while monitoring outer space in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius in 1977. The origin of the signal, which could well have been the result of extraterrestrial intelligence, was never explained, and the signal itself was never repeated.
- Tommy Lee Jones' character says he has cataracts and can't see anything. Cataracts develop when a person is exposed to solar radiation during prolonged stays in space.
- According to James Gray, he and Natasha Lyonne live in the same building. One day, while the film was in pre-production, she asked to have dinner with him. He told her about the film he was working on, she asked for a role, and he found an episodic role for her.
Similar movies
8.1/10
8/10
7.9/10
7.8/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
7.3/10
7.3/10
7.3/10
7.2/10
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
