“Project Hail Mary Dominates Weekend Box Office for Amazon MGM”
Project Hail Mary opened with a splash this weekend. The Andy Weir adaptation debuted to roughly $80.6 million domestically and about $60 million internationally. That gives the Amazon MGM release an opening weekend near $141 million worldwide.
Box office details and studio milestone
The $80.6 million domestic start ranks among the best March openings. It is Amazon MGM’s largest opening to date. The film carries a production budget near $200 million, the biggest Gosling-led project so far.
Ryan Gosling’s previous top opening had been Blade Runner 2049 at $32.7 million. Project Hail Mary’s start beat early projections that once placed it near $50 million. Confidence from critics and early audiences helped push estimates into the mid-60s and beyond.
Critical response and audience reaction
Critics have responded strongly. The film holds a 95% Certified Fresh rating on the Tomatometer. Audiences gave it an A Cinemascore.
Those markers are notable. Wide releases with similar acclaim and openings have often reached $250 million or more. Comparisons include Skyfall, Oppenheimer, Dune: Part Two, and Zootopia.
How it compares to similar sci-fi hits
The Martian opened to $54.3 million in October 2015. That film later earned $228.3 million domestically and $619 million globally. Project Hail Mary faces a larger budget, but the strong launch offers a hopeful trajectory.
Weekend chart and notable holds
- Project Hail Mary — $80.6 million (opening weekend)
- Hoppers (Disney/Pixar) — $18.0 million; $120.3 million total after 17 days
- Dhurandhar: The Revenge — $9.6 million; $13.6 million total. Opened in 987 theaters.
- Ready or Not 2: Here I Come — $9.1 million
- Reminders of Him — $8.0 million; $33.1 million total
- Scream 7 — $4.3 million; $114.5 million domestic
- GOAT — $3.5 million; $97.5 million domestic
- Undertone — $3.0 million; $15.2 million total
- The Pout-Pout Fish — $1.5 million (opening in 1,854 theaters)
- MET Opera: Tristan und Isolde — $722,000
Highlights and context
Hoppers dropped 37% to $18 million. It sits above many animated March releases historically. Its global total has topped $242 million, with international now exceeding domestic.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge posted the highest weekend ever for a Bollywood release at $9.6 million. The sequel expanded from 391 to 987 theaters compared with the first film’s limited North American release.
Indie wins and limited release notes
A24’s Undertone fell 68% but still reached $15.2 million in 10 days. The film’s micro budget puts it among low-cost breakout performers.
Limited releases saw solid per-theater results. Palestine ’36 earned $36,043 in a single theater. Marc by Sofia opened in two theaters to $46,000 and will expand next week.
Outlook and what comes next
Project Hail Mary dominated the weekend box office, delivering Amazon MGM its biggest opening to date. Its strong critical reception and audience scores will shape its legs. International expansion will be crucial for profitability.
Upcoming wide releases include The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in less than two weeks. A slate of films from SXSW will also expand in the coming days.
All box office figures cited here were reported to Filmogaz.com.
