Director: Jess Varley
Cast: Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Macy Gray, Reza Diako
The Astronaut is a 2025 American comedy-drama film directed by Jess Varley, starring Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Macy Gray, and Reza Diako. It follows an aerospace engineer whose quietly obsessive side project — building his own rocket from scratch — forces him to reckon with what it truly means to share a dream with the people closest to him.
What is The Astronaut about?
Jim works at Ariane Espace as a quietly capable aeronautical engineer, respected by colleagues but emotionally guarded in his personal life. For years he has poured his evenings and weekends into a clandestine ambition: assembling a functional rocket entirely on his own and pulling off what no amateur has ever achieved — a solo crewed spaceflight. His meticulous secrecy has kept the project alive but at a cost, slowly widening the gap between himself and everyone who matters to him. When the project reaches a stage he cannot complete alone, Jim must decide whether the dream is worth protecting at the price of the relationships he has been quietly losing along the way.
Cast & crew
Kate Mara anchors the film with a grounded, understated performance that keeps the story emotionally credible. Laurence Fishburne brings his characteristic authority to a supporting role that adds genuine weight to the third act. Gabriel Luna and Macy Gray round out an ensemble that favors quiet chemistry over showy moments, while Reza Diako offers a notable presence in a cast that spans several registers of comedic and dramatic tone.
Context & significance
Persian-speaking audiences abroad will find The Astronaut familiar in spirit — the lone individual quietly building something enormous while life presses in around them is a theme that echoes across Persian storytelling traditions, from classical narrative poetry to contemporary Iranian cinema. The film is available on K-Time with a full Persian dub alongside Persian subtitles, making it accessible whether you prefer to watch in your first language or follow along in the original English. Its gentle, humane comedy and emotional sincerity translate well across cultural contexts, and for diaspora viewers accustomed to stories of private ambition navigating the weight of family expectation, the film carries a resonance that goes beyond its American setting.
Where & how to watch
The Astronaut is available now on K-Time with both a Persian dub and Persian subtitles. Stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download required. Start watching anytime and cancel anytime.