The Astronaut

Two years ago Sam Walker stepped off a shuttle after her first mission, and now she finds herself fenced in by a NASA program designed to monitor her recovery. The high security facility clamps down on her days with medical tests, therapy sessions, and routine debriefings, all while she tries to piece together what really happened beyond the stars. But the quiet house starts to fracture: alarms ping in the night, shadows stretch where there should be none, and a pattern in the surveillance footage hints that she’s not alone. As pressure mounts, Sam worries that whatever pursued her into space might still be loose on Earth. Support staff bristle with secrecy around her case.

Directed by Jess Varley and released in 2025, The Astronaut blends science fiction with horror. It appears to be based on an original screenplay and stars Kate Mara as Sam Walker with Laurence Fishburne as General Harris to wide audiences.

Reception appears mixed, with an average of 5.768 out of 10 from 123 votes. Critics praise the atmosphere and Kate Mara's performance but fault the pacing. The film probes the psychological toll of space travel, the strain of government oversight, and fear of unseen forces intruding into daily life, unsolved.

Box office data for The Astronaut has not been publicly disclosed, and there is no widely cited production budget available. The film's commercial performance remains unclear from official sources, while exhibitors note a steady but not explosive audience turnout globally.

Awards: Not currently listed among major film awards, with no widely reported nominations as of release. If the film earns recognition later, those details would surface in trade publications and ceremony rosters. For now, the title sits in the mixed zone of sci fi horror for genre fans and newcomers.