James Gray’s Ad Astra is about a mission undertaken by Brad Pitt’s Roy McBride to find his father Clifford McBride (played by Tommy Lee Jones). Clifford left for outer space 12 years ago to find signs of extraterrestrial life and did not return.

Ad Astra is a science fiction film starring Brad Pitt in the lead role. It is directed by James Gray (The Lost City of Z). The film is about a mission undertaken by Pitt’s Roy McBride to find his father Clifford McBride (played by Tommy Lee Jones).

Clifford left for outer space 12 years ago to find signs of extraterrestrial life and did not return. Roy’s job is to find him and also figure out why his mission failed.

We are told little about what may have transpired with Clifford. The government officials, who recruit Roy to go find his father, talk about classified material that could threaten the entire solar system. “All life would be destroyed. We are counting on you to find out what’s happening out there,” Roy is told.

This does not clarify whether the substance Clifford was in possession with and was experimenting upon had government endorsement or he went rogue. Did he make contact with aliens and switch sides or is he being held captive? We are not told. Perhaps the second trailer would provide more clarity, as, at this point, it is hard to figure out what kind of film Ad Astra is.