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“Project Hail Mary” Achieves Record Opening for Amazon MGM Studios; “Ready or Not 2” Debuts

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Overall Box Office Surge: "Project Hail Mary" Leads Spring Break Debuts

Amazon MGM Studios' science fiction film "Project Hail Mary" opened on March 20, recording the highest domestic debut of the year and establishing a new box office record for the studio. The film garnered significant critical and audience reception.

Concurrently, Searchlight Pictures' horror sequel "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" also premiered, achieving a domestic opening slightly above its predecessor. Both films were released during a peak spring break weekend, contributing to an increase in overall box office revenues compared to the previous year.

"Project Hail Mary" Blasts Off: A Record-Setting Opening

Domestic & Global Dominance

"Project Hail Mary," starring Ryan Gosling, opened with an estimated $80.5 million domestically and $60.4 million internationally across 82 markets, culminating in a global debut of $140.9 million. This performance marked the highest-grossing debut of the year for a Hollywood production.

The film also set a new record for Amazon MGM Studios' largest domestic launch, surpassing "Creed III" ($58 million in 2023) and "Scream 7" ($63 million in February of the current year). The global opening similarly exceeded "Creed III" ($100.4 million worldwide) and "Scream 7" ($97.2 million worldwide).

Preview Screenings Set New Highs

Preview screenings for "Project Hail Mary" generated $12 million, reportedly the highest for 2026 to date. This figure exceeded "Scream 7's" $7.8 million and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" ($10.5 million) at similar stages for non-franchise films.

The preview performance also represents the highest for an Amazon MGM Studios release, surpassing "Creed III" ($5.4 million), and the second-highest for a film starring Ryan Gosling, behind "Barbie" ($22.3 million).

Sustained Momentum in Second Weekend

Following its opening, "Project Hail Mary" maintained its position at the top of the North American box office in its second weekend. It grossed $14.6 million on its second Friday, with projections indicating a weekend total of $53.1 million, representing a 34% decrease from its opening weekend.

After two weekends, the film is projected to reach $162.9 million domestically, with its worldwide cumulative gross anticipated to exceed $200 million.

Exceptional Performance Metrics

The film's domestic opening is noted as one of three non-sequel, non-franchise films in the last decade to achieve domestic opening weekends above $70 million, alongside "Oppenheimer" and "Us." It also marks Ryan Gosling's largest domestic opening in a leading role and a domestic best for directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Premium Large Format (PLF) and Imax screens contributed significantly, with 55% of ticket sales for premium formats and Imax accounting for $27.6 million of worldwide ticket sales.

Behind the Scenes: Production & Acclaim for "Project Hail Mary"

From Bestseller to Blockbuster

Based on Andy Weir's 2021 bestselling novel, "Project Hail Mary" was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and produced with a reported budget of $200 million. The cast includes Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a high school science teacher who becomes an astronaut on a mission to prevent the sun from dimming. Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub are also featured.

Critical & Audience Triumph

The film received an "A" grade from CinemaScore exit polls and a 95% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with audience scores ranging from 96% to 98% on the platform. Initial press screenings and early viewings received positive reception, and the film garnered a five-star rating on PostTrak. Audience demographics for the opening weekend indicated 57% male and 60% white viewers.

Amazon MGM Studios' Strategic Win

Amazon MGM Studios has been actively building its theatrical slate following Amazon's $8 billion acquisition of MGM in 2022. The studio's strategy includes releasing more than a dozen films annually in cinemas before streaming them on Prime Video, with box office performance contributing to broader subscription and viewership goals.

"Project Hail Mary" is considered a significant success for the studio, which has experienced varied financial results with recent releases. Author Andy Weir has indicated ideas for a sequel to his novel, though official discussions have not commenced regarding a film franchise.

"Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" Returns to the Hunt

Opening Weekend Performance

Searchlight Pictures' horror sequel "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" also opened on March 20. The film generated $1.2 million in box office previews and achieved an estimated domestic opening weekend of $9.1 million, placing it in fourth position. Its global opening weekend reached $11.9 million, with $2.8 million from 21 international territories.

This domestic opening slightly exceeded the $8 million debut of the original "Ready or Not" in August 2019.

Production Details & Reception

The sequel was produced with a budget of nearly $20 million, compared to the original's $6 million budget, which grossed $57.1 million worldwide. "Ready or Not 2" was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet (known as Radio Silence) and features Samara Weaving reprising her role as Grace, who faces a new survival game. The cast also includes Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Elijah Wood.

The film held its world premiere at SXSW in Austin on March 13. Critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes stands at 74% fresh, compared to the original's 89%, and it received a B+ CinemaScore. Its trailer accumulated 68 million views within its first 24 hours of release.

Broader Box Office Landscape: Spring Break Boosts Industry

Seasonal Impact & Market Trends

The release weekend coincided with a peak spring break period, with 38% of K-12 schools and 37% of colleges on break, according to Comscore. The overall domestic box office has shown an increase, with ticket sales currently 21% above the same period in the previous year and 15.2% up year-to-date. However, revenues remain approximately 20% below the pre-pandemic average.

Concurrent Releases Snapshot

Other films concurrently in release included:

  • Disney and Pixar’s “Hoppers”: Placed second, adding an estimated $20.5 million for the weekend, bringing its domestic total to approximately $120.4 million and global total to $242 million after three weekends.
  • “Dhurandhar: The Revenge”: The Indian action-thriller debuted in third place with an estimated $10.5 million, marking the largest opening weekend for a Bollywood film in North America.
  • “Reminders of Him”: Universal’s romantic drama secured fifth place with an estimated $8.7 million in its second weekend, with total domestic grosses reaching approximately $33 million.
  • “They Will Kill You”: A new action-horror-comedy, debuted with an estimated $4.3 million for the weekend.

Original Films Shine in Early 2026

The early 2026 box office has shown strong performance for original films, with "Project Hail Mary" being highlighted alongside Pixar's "Hoppers" as among the year's top-grossing original productions.