Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary Soars to $80.5M Box Office Opening

Ryan Gosling’s latest film, Project Hail Mary, has propelled Amazon MGM Studios to a record-breaking opening weekend, grossing $80.5 million domestically. The science fiction adventure, released on March 20, 2026, marks the highest opening of any film this year and surpasses the studio’s previous best, 2023’s Creed III, which opened to a strong showing but ultimately fell short of the current success.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard, Project Hail Mary is based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir, the author of The Martian. Goddard previously adapted Weir’s The Martian for the screen, a track record that likely contributed to the anticipation surrounding this new release. The film stars Gosling as Ryland Grace, a teacher unexpectedly thrust into a desperate interstellar mission to save Earth from a solar crisis.

The film’s success is particularly significant for Amazon MGM Studios, which is embarking on its first full theatrical slate in 2026, with a total of 13 films planned for release. The studio’s distribution chief, Kevin Wilson, stated, “We believe deeply in the Hail Mary, and it’s clear audiences do as well. What we’re seeing in theaters — the energy, the exit scores, the word of mouth — is everything we believed this film would deliver.”

Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Peter Travers lauded the film as “the most purely pleasurable movie so far this year,” praising Gosling’s performance. Odie Henderson of the Boston Globe described it as “a lovely, bittersweet character study,” even as critic Nell Minow highlighted its comprehensive storytelling approach, stating, “’Project Hail Mary’ makes use of every part of that storytelling capacity.” Keith Phipps of The Reveal noted the film’s balance of spectacle and emotion, calling it “zippy and emotionally wrenching.”

Beyond the domestic box office, Project Hail Mary has also performed strongly internationally, earning $60.4 million across 82 markets, bringing the global total to $140.9 million. The film premiered in London on March 9, 2026, prior to its wider release.

Amazon MGM Studios’ next major release is Masters of the Universe, scheduled for June. The film reimagines the classic cartoon and toy line, featuring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, Idris Elba as Duncan/Man-At-Arms, and Jared Leto as Skeletor.