Ryan Gosling’s “Project Hail Mary” is blowing up at the box office.
Amazon MGM’s science fiction film, based on author Andy Weir’s popular novel, grossed $12 million in previews, making it the year’s biggest box office hit so far. It surpassed Scream 7’s preview box office gross of $7.8 million and could overtake horror films as the opening box office grosser in 2026.
“Project Hail Mary” is expected to gross between $63 million and $65 million in its opening weekend, making it the biggest launch in Amazon MGM history. The company’s current opening record is held by the $58 million 2023 boxing film “Creed III.” With good reviews and positive word of mouth, the $200 million film could become the studio’s first original blockbuster.
Gosling, who has already gone to space in “First Man” and headed to a galaxy far, far away in “Star Wars: Starfighter,” plays Ryland Grace, a high school teacher turned astronaut, in “Project Hail Mary,” directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Ryland is tasked with saving the Earth when it is discovered that the sun is darkening and causing global cooling. In space, Ryland also meets and befriends a five-legged alien named Rocky. The cast includes Sandra Haller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leon, and Milana Weintrub.
“Project Hail Mary” comes four years after tech giant Amazon acquired MGM Studios for $8 billion. While some were financial successes for the studio, such as Creed III and The Beekeeper, there were also many failures, such as After the Hunt, Melania, and Crime 101. But Amazon’s market capitalization is $2.2 trillion, so the deep-pocketed company doesn’t need to rely on its films to recoup its entire budget, primarily just marketing and distribution costs.
Searchlight’s horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come will also be released this weekend. Samara Weaving returns to play devilish hide-and-seek, co-starring Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, and more. It made $1.2 million in previews.
