Actor from Chicago-set 'The Bear' Lionel Boyce stars in new sci-fi thriller 'Project Hail Mary'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The very first showings of the new sci-fi thriller "Project Hail Mary" are underway. It's already predicted to be the monster hit of the season.

Lionel Boyce, who is in Chicago shooting his hit series "The Bear," is part of the cast, telling ABC7 about this space extravaganza.

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Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a science teacher suddenly enlisted to save the planet. A mysterious force is swallowing the sun, but this guy wants to know, "why me?"

Boyce spoke about what attracted him to this story, and what made him want to be part of it.

"The script itself was so outstanding," Boyce said. "I was like, I would come in and hold peanuts in the background if you guys asked me to."

Boyce plays "Carl." He's in security operations, and provides comic relief. Even a trip to the big box store might help solve the mystery.

"He's an agent for this top secret mission, and he gets worn down by Grace, and they form a mini bond," Boyce said. "It was a cool, fun thing to play a sharp, short, direct character."

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It's not just a sci-fi fantasy, audiences have to be smart to follow the story.

"I was impressed with that too this is a lot, this is a science class but I'm into it, it's the most immersive science class you'll ever experience," Boyce said.

Boyce plays "Marcus" in "The Bear," a pastry chef and the heart of the series. The actor compared his role as Carl to Marcus.

"You know what I like to think, what would it be like if they hung out," Boyce said. "I think Marcus would win him over a lot faster because he has a lot more to offer with the pastries. They would eat well."

The actor also reflected on what it is like shooting in Chicago.

"We seem to end up here every winter," Boyce said. "The thing that blew my mind, it caught me off guard was the nose moisture crystalizes, and I was like, I've never had that before, that's cool."

Boyce says everyone should go see "Project Hail Mary."

"It's just out of this world," Boyce said. "It gives you every single feeling that exists you can get in this movie, so that alone is why it's worth watching."

Film critic Richard Roeper says "Project Hail Mary" is "an E.T. for our times," calling it the first great film of this year.