This Leatherman Multitool Played An Important Role In Project Hail Mary

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Convenient product placements that make it into big budget movies and shows often tend to serve as a prop. They show up as a consumable in the background, an item actors might move out of the way, or on a sign that's slightly out of focus. But one unique tool that shows up in Ryan Gosling's "Project Hail Mary" actually has an ingenious cameo. The aptly named Leatherman Surge appears in a pivotal moment as Gosling's character Ryland Grace reaches for the multi-tool to sever a rope. It also reappears throughout the film as Grace repairs and works on various parts of the ship and his survival projects.

You can catch a quick glimpse of it in the movie's final trailer — at 1:43 and 2:18, respectively, with the latter being the more detailed snippet. In the theatrical movie it happens at about the one hour and 49 minutes mark. Leatherman calls the Surge one of the "biggest and strongest" in its arsenal. It features large pliers, first and foremost, with long blades, to do some cutting like Grace does, with tools that lock firmly into place. Its rugged and tough material makeup is also conducive to deep space survival, though I'd be remiss if I didn't point out this is a Hollywood movie, not an actual astronaut using the tool in a cosmic demonstration, but I digress.

Altogether, the Leatherman Surge has 21 tools including a spring-action scissors, can and bottle openers, screwdrivers big and small, and a diamond-coated file. As you can see there are lots of practical options there, and Leatherman notes it's one-hand operable and the essentials are outside accessible, meaning you don't have to unfurl the whole thing to access or deploy the important stuff. Not too shabby for a $160-priced gadget on Amazon.

A Leatherman is a pragmatic multi-tool for virtually any situation. Rather than carrying a screwdriver, or a pair of pliers, you get something with a ton of added value. Leatherman tools are excellent for use while camping, wonderful for gardening in your yard, and a viable alternative to the age-old Swiss Army Knife. Not to mention there are many unique models, with varying tools and designs to match what you need them to do. If you browse Leatherman official, you'll find them divided by activity, starting with everyday essentials, for use around the home, to emergency preparedness and beyond.

The Surge features both a straight blade and a serrated blade in one tool, which Grace ends up using in the film to slice some rope and save himself. He snatches it out of a holster on his leg, pops it open and masterfully deploys his tool of choice, which makes for good cinema. If you want to see it in action in real life, Leatherman has a quick YouTube demonstration (above) you can check out.

What's interesting is that the original book author, Andy Weir, did not actually name a make, model, or individual tool in his text, but instead just refers to it as a "multitool". The film, and Gosling's character, makes that much clearer. In the real world, there are instances of astronauts using Leatherman Tools in space. Jonny Kim can be seen using a Leatherman Arc on the International Space Station, and Victor J. Glover on the Artemis II mission had one on his hip. Therefore, the "Project Hail Mary" cameos aren't too fantastical.