Escape Into Books
Your home for book news, reviews, and bookish fun. Follow along on Facebook.
Hard sci‑fi superstar Andy Weir is trading in his Midwestern lake views for life on a movie set. The Martian and Project Hail Mary author is putting his sprawling Winnetka, Illinois, mansion on the auction block this month, just as anticipation peaks for the big‑screen adaptation of his latest bestseller.
A Private Peninsula, a Massive Remodel, and a Quick Exit
The 13,000‑square‑foot home sits on a private peninsula in one of Chicago’s most affluent suburbs, with more than 100 feet of frontage on Lake Longmeadow, according to Mansion Global. Weir and his wife, Ashley, bought the stone‑and‑shingle property in December 2023 for $4.51 million and immediately set about brightening its formerly moody interiors.
“The whole house was a dark color scheme when we bought it,” Weir said, joking that they called it “the 30 shades of gray house.” Working with architects Benvenuti & Stein, the couple rebuilt the kitchen with custom Evanston‑made cabinetry, top‑tier appliances, and a more efficient, European‑inspired layout.
Online bidding, run by Concierge Auctions, opens November 15 and closes December 3. The home was listed in August for $4.729 million, with bidding expected to start between $1.8 million and $2.8 million.
From Lake Longmeadow to ‘Project Hail Mary’
Weir says he was drawn to the house for its waterfront calm, echoing earlier stints living by a pond in suburban Boston and kayaking with family in California. Outside, the estate offers an expansive brick patio with stone fireplace, space for a pool or sports court, and a floating dock protected by a custom retaining wall.
Inside, it’s pure nerd‑luxury fantasy: seven bedrooms, eight full baths, dual primary suites, a sunroom with 100‑year‑old reclaimed barn wood and heated floors, a film‑developing studio, a soundproofed theater with vintage seating, a wine cellar and tasting room, two gyms (one golf‑simulator ready), and a library reached by spiral staircase, complete with custom stained glass.
Yet the author barely had time to enjoy the upgrades. “We renovated the home for ourselves to love for many years, but by the time we were ready to move in, it was time for me to begin shooting a movie I am producing called ‘Project Hail Mary’ (with Ryan Gosling) in the U.K.,” Weir told Mansion Global. With additional film work drawing him back to California, the couple decided to sell.
The move comes as Project Hail Mary—the 2021 novel that earned a Dragon Award and Audie Award and was a Hugo finalist—heads to theaters in 2026. The film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling, has already generated massive buzz; its first trailer pulled in about 400 million global views in a week, according to early reporting from the film’s production notes and background on the novel.
Why Fans Are Watching Weir’s Next Moves
Weir’s real‑estate shuffle underscores how busy his universe has become, from bestselling novels like The Martian and Artemis to an adaptation slate that has him working as both author and producer. In late November, he publicly backed the bold alien reveal in the first Project Hail Mary trailer, defending the choice even as some readers worried about spoilers—an exchange we covered in detail in our piece on Weir’s response to the trailer’s big Rocky moment.
All this is unfolding during a boom time for speculative fiction. Thanks in part to BookTok and the rise of romantasy, science fiction and fantasy sales have surged, giving authors like Weir an even larger platform, as reported by The Guardian. As his lakefront retreat goes to the highest bidder and cameras roll in the U.K., fans are left to watch not just the auction results, but how Weir’s expanding Hollywood orbit might shape his next big, brainy adventure.
