Project Hail Mary Rockets to Box Office Lead
Ryan Gosling sci‑fi adaptation opened to $80.5 million domestically and $140.9 million worldwide, marking Amazon MGM's biggest debut and a rare non‑franchise blockbuster performance.
Los Angeles TimesAmazon MGM Studios' 'Project Hail Mary' rockets to the top of the box office
Fortune‘Project Hail Mary’ becomes Amazon’s highest-grossing film debut | Fortune
Breitbart NewsBox Office: ‘Project Hail Mary’ Blasts Off With $80.5 Million, Record for Amazon MGM
ABC NewsBox Office: ‘Project Hail Mary’ blasts off with $80.5M, a best for Amazon MGM
Overview
Amazon MGM Studios' Project Hail Mary opened to $80.5 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, studio estimates said.
The debut is the biggest domestic opening of the year and the second-biggest opening for a non-franchise film behind Oppenheimer's $82.4 million, industry trackers said.
Kevin Wilson, head of domestic distribution for Amazon MGM Studios, said strong reviews, audience scores and word of mouth show the film has broken out to a broad audience.
The film opened on 4,007 screens, sold an estimated 5 million domestic tickets according to EntTelligence, earned $60.4 million from 82 international markets and reached a $140.9 million global total.
The film will lose IMAX screens to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on April 1, and Amazon's next theatrical release is Masters of the Universe in June, industry reports said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Amazon’s Project Hail Mary as a commercial and strategic win, using evaluative terms ('highest-grossing debut', 'critical acclaim'), prioritizing box-office metrics and corporate moves (executive hires, MGM acquisition), and emphasizing benefits to theater chains—downplaying dissenting perspectives about streaming-first strategies or alternative industry critiques.
FAQ
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he discovers he must save Earth from a solar dimming crisis by collaborating with an alien named Rocky.
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, with James Ortiz voicing and puppeteering the alien Rocky. It is directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard.
The film has a 95% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, the best for any wide release in 2026, and an A CinemaScore from audiences.
It opened to $80.5-80.6 million domestically, the biggest of 2026 and second-biggest for a non-franchise film behind Oppenheimer's $82.4 million, with $140.9-141 million worldwide.
Project Hail Mary is based on the popular novel by Andy Weir, author of The Martian.
