Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary opened to $80.5 million domestic and $140.9 million worldwide on its debut weekend, making it the biggest opening of 2026 and setting a new record for Amazon MGM Studios. The adaptation of Andy Weir's sci-fi novel dethroned Scream 7 as the year's top debut. [1]

The second week performance confirmed the film has legs. Deadline reported the global weekend held at $11.9 million, driven primarily by domestic holdover. The domestic second-week figure came in around $18 million — a drop, but a modest one for a film that front-loaded its marketing heavily. By comparison, similar sci-fi openings in recent years have dropped 50 percent or more in week two. [2]

The film's success is notable for what it is not. It is not a sequel, not a franchise extension, not based on a comic book. It is a standalone adaptation of a novel about a lone astronaut trying to save Earth, starring an actor whose box office track record outside of Barbie has been inconsistent. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller directed. [3]

Amazon MGM's previous highest-grossing release was significantly lower. The studio's bet on theatrical-first distribution — rather than streaming debut — appears to have paid off. Whether this changes the platform's broader release strategy remains to be seen.

-- Maya Calloway, New York