Netflix's Spaceman ending explained: Was Hanuš real? 

Netflix released its latest sci-fi offering, titled Spaceman, on March 1, 2024. Starring Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, and Paul Dano as the voice of the extraterrestrial spider Hanuš, the film received mixed reception from critics.

Directed by Johan Renck, Spaceman is based on the novel Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař. Throughout the narrative, Jakub (Adam Sandler) engages in dialogue with the extraterrestrial spider Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano) as he comes to terms with solitude and his failing marriage back on Earth. The conclusion of Spaceman left viewers pondering Hanuš existence as the spider mysteriously disappeared.

This article will try to give readers a comprehensive explanation of the film’s conclusion and implications.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Netflix's latest film Spaceman.

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Netflix's Spaceman ending explained: Was Hanuš just a figment of Jakub's imagination?

The plot of the film follows Jakub as he embarks on a mission to explore the "Chopra Cloud," a region outside of Jupiter, whose particles he intends to gather (for reasons that are still unclear). He is 189 days into the lonely mission (as the sole astronaut on the journey), and he has left his pregnant wife Lenka back on Earth.

The film goes on to explore each of their solitude and Lenka's decision to leave Jakob. He goes through a severe existential crisis and befriends an extraterrestrial being called Hanuš, who assists him in understanding his life better.

Doubts regarding Hanuš's existence arise when he boards the ship, with sensors detecting only Jakub as the sole life form. This prompts speculation that the spider might be a hallucination or that the sensors are unable to detect extraterrestrial DNA. Hanuš possesses the ability to evoke Jakub's memories, providing insight into Jakub's early years and his tumultuous marriage with Lenka.

When Jakub is talking to Hanuš at the very end of Spaceman about how scared he is, the spider asks him if he can hear Lenka and shares a sense of wisdom and hope for them. The spider advises Hanuš to listen to the quiet when the astronaut tells him he can't hear anything, and Jakub then thanks his friend for "everything."

In the midst of a vision of Jakub and Lenka getting back together on Earth, Hanuš dissolves into nothingness. She makes an appearance as a princess with red hair and a crown before viewers see a photo of the two of them conversing telepathically—Jakub in space and Lenka on Earth. Jakub tells Lenka over the phone in the epilogue, "I never would have left if I had known then what I know now."

Hanuš appears at the toughest conjecture of Jakub's life and leaves him when he has finally cleared things out in his mind. Hanuš likely represents Jakub's inner psyche, which unravels in the form of a creature when Jakub is feeling the most lonely.

In a press release interview for Spaceman, director Johan Renck had the following to say about Hanuš:

"You can obviously think of Hanuš as being a creature from the beginning of time, or you can think of him as being manifested by Jakub in his cabin-fever state and isolation in the space ship as a companion to talk to."

The director gave no definitive answer to the question, keeping the ending of the film open to interpretation. RadioTimes interviewed the director, and when asked about explaining the ending of the film, he said the following:

"It's like, yeah, whatever floats your boat, man, there is no truth to these matters. It's like reading a book, listening to a song, or reading a poem, whatever. It's like, it's what... your own experiences will guide how you take in the film, basically."

While the existence of Hanuš is up for debate, the presence of the character was pivotal for Jakub to understand his flaws in the marriage. The film ends on a hopeful note, as it suggests Lenka and Jakub will try to work towards their marriage.

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Spaceman is currently available to stream on Netflix.