Later this year, director Ridley Scott is going back to space with The Martian, and he’s stranding Matt Damon on Mars.

Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian follows Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon), a member of the third manned mission to Mars. However, Watney may become the first person to die on Mars after being separated from his crew. And with limited resources on the spaceship and the planet itself, Watney’s chances of rescue are slim at best.

Don’t let the grim story description bring you down. Even the backstory of The Martian is inspiring. Weir self-published The Martian as an ebook in 2011 before it was picked up by Crown Publishing for print and optioned as a film by 20th Century Fox with Scott attached to direct the adaptation.

While a trailer for The Martian is expected to be released soon, a teaser video dropped today that catches up with Watney and his crew as they prepare for their long trip to Mars. In addition to introducing Watney, the teaser also puts a spotlight on Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Doctor Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan), Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie), Beth Johanson (Kate Mara), and the ship’s pilot, Rick Martinez (Michael Peña).

The Martian also boasts an impressive supporting cast including Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Naomi Scott, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover. The film was scripted by Drew Goddard (Daredevil, The Cabin in the Woods). The Martian will be released on November 25, 2015.

Nerdist readers, what did you think of the first teaser from The Martian? Transmit your thoughts in the comment section below!