'Project Hail Mary' Scores the Biggest Box Office Debut of 2026 With $80.6 Million USD
The Ryan Gosling-led sci-fi epic sets a new all-time opening weekend record for Amazon MGM Studios.
Summary
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Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, opened to a massive $80.6 million at the domestic box office
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The acclaimed sci-fi adaptation marks the highest-grossing opening weekend of 2026 so far and the biggest theatrical debut in Amazon MGM Studios history
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Driven by stellar word of mouth and an A CinemaScore, the blockbuster also pulled in an impressive $141 million globally during its launch
Amazon MGM Studios is officially celebrating a monumental box office victory. Project Hail Mary, the highly anticipated sci-fi event film starring Ryan Gosling, has blasted past industry expectations to secure an $80.6 million USD domestic opening weekend. The massive haul not only makes it the biggest theatrical debut of 2026 so far, but also shatters the all-time opening weekend record for Amazon MGM Studios.
Adapted from the best-selling 2021 novel by The Martian author Andy Weir, the film follows Ryland Grace (Gosling), a middle school science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship millions of miles from home with no memory of his desperate mission to save Earth from an extinction-level event. Directed by the acclaimed duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the $200 million USD production has been heavily propelled by overwhelmingly positive word of mouth, securing a 95% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an elite A CinemaScore from opening-night audiences.
The record-breaking weekend easily eclipsed Amazon MGM’s previous top debut, 2023’s Creed III ($58.3 million USD). Additionally, the launch marks the best directorial opening ever for Lord and Miller, and stands as Gosling’s second-biggest debut of his career behind the $162 million opening of Barbie.
Bolstered by an audience highly engaged with premium large formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema, the film’s $141 million USD global launch is being celebrated as a massive win for the industry. Beating out heavy franchise competitors, the runaway success of Project Hail Mary proves there is still immense theatrical viability for smart, four-quadrant, non-sequel blockbusters.
Project Hail Mary is currently playing in theaters and IMAX nationwide.
