Box Office: 'Project Hail Mary' blasts off with $80.5 million, a best for Amazon MGM, and the year

The science fiction epic starring Ryan Gosling earned around $80.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend playing in North America.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 8:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The science fiction epic 'Project Hail Mary' starring Ryan Gosling earned around $80.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend playing in North America, surpassing expectations to become the biggest opening of the year and delivering a record opening for studio Amazon MGM. The film opened on 4,007 screens and easily topped the domestic box office charts, with box office tracker EntTelligence estimating it translated into about 5 million ticket buyers.

Why it matters

The strong opening for 'Project Hail Mary' is seen as a positive sign for the movie industry, as it demonstrates that audiences are still willing to turn out for non-franchise, original sci-fi films. The results put the film in 'rarefied air' alongside other recent big openings like 'Oppenheimer', suggesting that the industry may be recovering from the pandemic-era slump.

The details

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 'Project Hail Mary' cost about double the 'Oppenheimer' production budget, with a price tag in the $200 million range. But it also carries strong reviews and audience scores and could be destined for a long run. According to PostTrak exit polls, 83% of audiences said they would 'definitely recommend' the film to friends. The gender breakdown skewed slightly more male (57%), and 55% of the audience were under 35.

  • The film opened on 4,007 screens on March 22, 2026.

The players

Project Hail Mary

A science fiction epic starring Ryan Gosling.

Amazon MGM

The studio behind the release of 'Project Hail Mary', which delivered a record opening for the company.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

The directors of 'Project Hail Mary'.

Ryan Gosling

The star of 'Project Hail Mary', who is described as a 'singular star that has the massive global appeal and charisma to anchor a story like this'.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We all know theatrical is not an easy business. It's tougher today I think than it's ever been. And sci-fi movies, to break out to a broad audience, is not the easiest thing to do.”

— Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM Studios' head of domestic distribution

“It leaves no doubt that Ryan Gosling is a singular star that has the massive global appeal and charisma to anchor a story like this.”

— Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM Studios' head of domestic distribution

What’s next

The film will have a second weekend essentially free of big competition until it loses its IMAX screens to 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' on April 1.

The takeaway

The strong opening for 'Project Hail Mary' is seen as a positive sign for the movie industry, as it demonstrates that audiences are still willing to turn out for non-franchise, original sci-fi films. The results put the film in 'rarefied air' alongside other recent big openings, suggesting that the industry may be recovering from the pandemic-era slump.