Toby Jones stars in new film about UK Mars mission

Bafta-winning actor Toby Jones, known for his diverse range of Toby Jones movies and TV shows, has finished production on a new feature film detailing the story of Britain's first mission to land on Mars. Directed by Mackenzie Crook, the project explores the life of planetary scientist Colin Pillinger and the development of the Beagle 2 probe.

Toby Jones leads cast as Colin Pillinger

In the upcoming film, Toby Jones portrays Professor Colin Pillinger, while Emily Watson takes on the role of his wife, Judith. The narrative follows the couple as they develop the unmanned Beagle 2 lander at the Open University in Milton Keynes, with the goal of searching for signs of life on the Red Planet. The lander was launched aboard the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter.

The mission faced significant challenges when the probe lost contact upon its scheduled touchdown on Christmas Day, 2003. For many years, the project was widely considered a failure. However, in 2015, images captured by NASA confirmed that the lander had successfully reached the Martian surface, though this discovery occurred after Pillinger had passed away from a brain haemorrhage.

Director Mackenzie Crook, who previously collaborated with Jones on the BBC comedy Detectorists, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He noted that the script, written by Joe Bone, helped attract a talented cast and crew to the production. Crook, who has also appeared in projects like Small Prophets, stated that it is a profound honour to direct this feature film based on such an extraordinary story.

During the 1990s, Pillinger became a well-known figure in the United Kingdom for his efforts to secure funding and public support for the ambitious space mission. He famously enlisted the help of various celebrities and pop stars to raise awareness for the Beagle 2 project.

Toby Jones stars as scientist Colin Pillinger in a film about the lost British Beagle 2 Mars probe.

Why it matters

The film brings renewed attention to a significant moment in British space exploration history. By highlighting the dedication of the team behind the Beagle 2, the production honors the legacy of Colin Pillinger, whose efforts to engage the public in planetary science left a lasting impact on the scientific community.