| Director: | Greg Berlanti |
| Screenplay: | Rose Gilroy |
| Music: | Daniel Pemberton |
| Cinematography: | Dariusz Wolski |
| Editing: | Harry Jierjian |
| Distributor: | Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) |
| Runtime: | 132 minutes[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $100 million[2] |
| Gross: | $40.6 million[3] [4] |
Fly Me to the Moon is a 2024 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Greg Berlanti from a screenplay by Rose Gilroy, based on a story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn. It stars Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Ray Romano, and Woody Harrelson.
The plot follows the relationship between marketing specialist Kelly Jones and the NASA launch director Cole Davis as they are tasked with creating a fictionalized version of the Apollo 11 mission in case the actual one is not successful.
First announced in March 2022, the film was originally set to star Johansson and Chris Evans, with Jason Bateman directing. Tatum and Berlanti replaced Evans and Bateman, respectively, that July, and filming began in Atlanta, Georgia in October.
Fly Me to the Moon premiered on AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on July 8, 2024, and was released theatrically in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on July 12. It received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $40 million worldwide.
In late 1968, Kelly Jones is a duplicitous advertising executive, who uses confidence tricks and charm to appeal to the male decision-makers at major companies, helped by her assistant Ruby. Moe Berkus, a secretive government operative who works for President Richard Nixon, offers Kelly a job revamping the public affairs office at NASA, who have dealt with a flagging image and lack of funding amid the Space Race. After Moe threatens to expose her as a con artist who has used multiple names over the course of her life, she reluctantly accepts, and relocates along with Ruby to Cocoa Beach, Florida.
On her first night in Cocoa Beach, she has a chance encounter with Cole Davis, the launch director at the Kennedy Space Center, at a local restaurant. After helping to douse an accidental fire that springs up at her table, he confesses that he finds her attractive, but quickly leaves. The next day at work, he is shocked to realize that Kelly is the new public relations hire. Cole, a serious veteran of the Korean War, quickly clashes with Kelly’s plans to bring new interest to the space program, including corporate sponsorships and hiring actors to play NASA scientists for media appearances. He disapproves of Kelly lying, although Kelly sees it as spin to get the best result for the agency.
While Cole works to plan the upcoming Apollo 11 launch that will land the first humans on the moon, Kelly stokes public interest in NASA, leading to Congress increasing their funding. Kelly suggests putting a television camera on the Lunar Excursion Module to broadcast the moon landing, which Cole rejects as impractical; Moe, however, approves the idea. In secret, he gives Kelly another assignment: to prepare a fake moon landing on a soundstage in a NASA warehouse, to be aired in case the real landing fails. He also demands that Cole never know about the fake landing, which is dubbed Project Artemis. She enlists Ruby and commercial director Lance Vespertine to direct the broadcast, with government agents playing the astronauts.
Moe also tasks Kelly and Cole with winning over key members of Congress to prevent funding from being revoked. As they work together, the two become closer. One of the senators, Hedges, is receptive to changing his vote, but in return asks Cole to do an interview with a local news agency. The interviewer presses Cole on the events of the Apollo 1 disaster, angering Cole and derailing the interview. Hedges pulls his support, putting the space program in jeopardy. Cole convinces Kelly to travel to Louisiana in his plane in order to have dinner with Vanning, a conservative Christian senator who believes that space exploration goes against God’s will. Cole gives a heartfelt explanation of why he feels that science and religion are compatible, compelling Vanning to change his mind. After taking a joyride on the flight home, Cole and Kelly kiss.
Kelly and Ruby become uncomfortable with lying to their friends at NASA about Project Artemis. Kelly plans to skip town the day before launch, but Moe finds her at the airport. He threatens her not to tell anyone about the fake landing, but allows her to leave. He also reveals that Project Artemis was not merely a contingency. The LEM camera has been sabotaged, and the faked broadcast will be aired regardless of whether or not Apollo 11 actually lands on the moon, to cement the United States as winners of the Space Race. A guilt-stricken Kelly returns to NASA and admits the deception to Cole, as well as her checkered past. Cole reluctantly agrees to help her make things right. With the help of NASA engineers Stu and Don, the LEM camera is repaired just in time for launch, but there is no time to test it. After Moe returns to personally supervise the Project Artemis broadcast, the equipment on the soundstage is rewired to output a genuine feed from the LEM.
Apollo 11 successfully lands, and Project Artemis begins filming. During the moonwalk, Neil Armstrong tells Cole that the camera may be dead, casting doubt on whether the millions of TV viewers are seeing Project Artemis, or the real landing. However, after a stray cat that lives around the NASA offices jumps onto the fake ‘lunar surface’, Kelly confirms to Cole that audiences are seeing the real thing. Moe is initially upset at being deceived, but ultimately accepts that it’s for the best that Project Artemis was not broadcast, telling Kelly that she is free to go. After the Apollo 11 astronauts safely return to Earth, Cole finds Kelly in the Project Artemis warehouse. She tells him her real name - Winnie - and the two rekindle their romance.
In March 2022, Apple Studios announced it had acquired the rights to produce a movie set in the backdrop of the Space Race, then titled Project Artemis, for more than $100 million. Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were also announced as starring in the film, with Jason Bateman directing.[5] In May, Bateman said the working title Project Artemis was likely to change.[6] He left the project the following month, citing creative differences,[7] and was later replaced by Greg Berlanti, his first directorial effort since 2018's Love, Simon.[8]
Screenwriter Rose Gilroy referred to the book Marketing the Moon for her writing. She said the book "is about the original ads that were used, and how sci-fi was woven into the minds of the American people" using genre books and movies. "That was instrumental… It was endlessly interesting to learn all the ways they sold" the Apollo 11 mission.[9]
The search for a new director and Berlanti's availability changed the production schedule, forcing Evans to drop out as well. In July, Channing Tatum entered into negotiations to replace him.[10] In September, Jim Rash joined the cast.[11] Ray Romano, Anna Garcia, and Woody Harrelson would be added in the following months.[12] [13] [14]
Principal photography began on October 27, 2022, in Atlanta, with a casting call issued seeking extras to play NASA employees and FBI agents.[15] By December 21, 2023, with a release date of July 12, 2024 set, the film was no longer titled Project Artemis.[16] In April 2024, the film's new title was revealed to be Fly Me to the Moon,[17] [18] and Daniel Pemberton was confirmed to compose the score.[19]
The film was initially slated to be released direct-to-streaming on Apple TV+ but was redirected to theatrical following strong test screenings.[20] Following their partnership on Napoleon, Apple entered into another agreement with Sony Pictures to distribute the film in cinemas in December 2023,[21] after both Warner Bros. declined to bid for theatrical distribution rights with Paramount saying it already had full release schedules. Sony Pictures scheduled the film for a theatrical release in the United States and Canada on July 12, 2024.[22]
The film premiered at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on July 8, 2024.[23]
, Fly Me to the Moon has grossed $20.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $20.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $40.6 million.
In the United States and Canada, Fly Me to the Moon was released alongside Longlegs, and was projected to gross around $12 million from 3,356 theaters in its opening weekend.[24] It made $4.5 million on its first day, including $875,000 from Thursday night previews.[25] [26] It grossed below expectations on its first weekend, earning $9.4 million at the domestic box office and $9 million from 52 international markets.[26] [27] In its second weekend, it made $3.3 million, finishing sixth.[28] [29]
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 86% overall positive score.[26] The Guardian were less enthused by the movie, calling it "misjudged and unfunny romcom" and scoring the film just two stars out of a possible five.[30]