The Martian: 9 Things You Need To Know

Three years on from Prometheus, and Ridley Scott is going back into space. No, not for the sequel to that film - although that'll be along in 2017 - but for The Martian, his adaptation of Andy Weir's hit novel of the same name. The book follows the aftermath of a space mission gone wrong, with astronaut Mark Watney left for dead on Mars while the rest of his crew manages to make a safe getaway. While they initially presume Watney is dead, it becomes clear that he is actually still alive, and it becomes a long, lonely, and desperate fight for survival. The book has (rightly) received rave reviews, making science interesting in a way school teachers just aren't able to, and now 20th Century Fox are hoping that it'll translate to the big-screen, with the big bucks that come with that. They've certainly got the right team in place, with Scott behind the camera and Matt Damon in front of it, and everything that's been said or released about it so far seems extremely positive. The film is out on 30 September for the UK, and October 2 for those in the USA, and here's all the key information you need before settling in for a mission to Mars.