Matt Damon returns to space in ‘The Martian’

 CEBU, Philippines – “The Martian” is a project Matt Damon has been waiting his whole life for.

The actor’s upcoming movie is a great departure from his last journey off Earth, Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar,” where he played a malevolent and stranded astronaut who had a fist fight on an alien planet with Matthew McConaughey.

This time around, he’s stranded yet again, but will use science – and not his fists – to survive. His character, astronaut Mark Watney, declares that in order to find a way off Mars and survive for four years on just 30 days’ worth of supplies, he’s “going to have to science the [expletive] out of this!”

“It’s supposed to take place, just a few years in the future,” Damon explained. “It is really grounded in science…the science in the book is really approachable and easily understandable. It feels like something good to put out into the world right now.”

While filming, Damon said the creative team often described the film as “a love letter to science.”

The 44-year-old was able to live out a dream making the film with director Ridley Scott, who helmed sci-fi greats like “Blade Runner,” “Alien” and “Prometheus.”

“Making anything with Ridley Scott is an offer you can’t refuse. He’s great,” Damon said. “The prospect of going to space with Ridley Scott, that’s literally a lifelong dream!”

“The Martian” will open this October.