Sci-Fi Hit 'Project Hail Mary' Soars in Second Weekend

The Ryan Gosling-led film holds strong with $54.5 million, cementing its status as the year's biggest box office success so far.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:23pm

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The sci-fi adventure film 'Project Hail Mary,' directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, held strongly in its second weekend at the box office, earning $54.5 million. This represents only a 32% drop from its impressive opening weekend, adding to the long-term commercial prospects of what is now the year's biggest hit so far, with a global gross of $300.8 million in just two weeks.

Why it matters

The continued strong performance of 'Project Hail Mary' is a positive sign for the film industry, which has struggled with uneven box office returns in the post-pandemic era. The ability of an original, non-franchise sci-fi film to connect with audiences bodes well for the diversity and creativity of Hollywood's output moving forward.

The details

In its second weekend, 'Project Hail Mary' dipped only 32% from its opening weekend, a relatively modest decline that indicates the film is resonating with moviegoers and building positive word-of-mouth. The strong hold adds to the long-term commercial prospects of the film, which has now grossed $300.8 million globally in just two weeks.

  • The film opened in theaters on March 17, 2026.
  • It earned $54.5 million in its second weekend, from March 24-26, 2026.

The players

Phil Lord and Chris Miller

The directors of 'Project Hail Mary,' known for their innovative and commercially successful films like 'The Lego Movie' and 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.'

Ryan Gosling

The lead actor of 'Project Hail Mary,' a critically acclaimed and commercially bankable star known for films like 'La La Land' and 'Blade Runner 2049.'

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The takeaway

The impressive second-weekend hold of 'Project Hail Mary' demonstrates the film's ability to connect with audiences and build momentum, positioning it as a potential long-term box office success and a bright spot for the film industry in a challenging post-pandemic landscape.