Weekend Box Office: Project Hail Mary Scores Big Win for Amazon MGM Amazon MGM’s sci-fi film Project Hail Mary achieved its highest opening weekend in the studio’s history, grossing $80.5 million, and secured the best Tomatometer score for any wide release in 2026 with a 95% rating. The film, starring Ryan Gosling, has generated strong critical acclaim, with audiences giving it an A Cinemascore. Analysts suggest that early buzz and confidence in the film’s quality contributed to its success, as it surpassed earlier projections of $50 million. Comparisons to The Martian (2015), which opened to $54.3 million and grossed over $228 million domestically, highlight Hail Mary’s potential. While The Martian eventually earned over $619 million globally, Hail Mary’s $80.5 million opening places it among the top March debuts, surpassing many films that failed to reach $200 million. For context, only one March release between $50-70 million managed to gross over $200 million, and that was Disney’s 2015 Cinderella. The film’s sci-fi premise and family-friendly appeal may help it sustain momentum, especially after Amazon MGM’s recent underperforming releases like Mercy, Melania, and Crime 101. The film’s success also marks a turning point for Amazon MGM, which acquired MGM in 2023. With Hail Mary’s opening, the studio now has a major hit to build on, though its international performance remains crucial. The film added $60 million overseas, bringing its total opening to nearly $141 million. Analysts note that films with a 90%+ Tomatometer score, an A Cinemascore, and a $75-90 million opening, such as Skyfall, Dune: Part Two, and Oppenheimer, have all grossed at least $250 million domestically.#amazon_mgm #ryan_gosling #project_hail_mary #the_martian #disney_pixar
Can Project Hail Mary Deliver? Amazon Needs a Hit After String of Flops Amazon MGM faces mounting pressure to deliver a blockbuster hit with its latest film, Project Hail Mary, a $200 million sci-fi epic adapted from Andy Weir’s bestselling novel. The movie, starring Ryan Gosling as a scientist racing to save humanity from extinction, is set to debut on March 20 and aims to become the streaming giant’s biggest theatrical opening ever, targeting $63 million to $65 million in North America. This would surpass the $58 million opening of 2023’s Creed III, which remains the current record. However, the stakes are high for Amazon, which has struggled to translate its dominance in e-commerce into success in the film industry. The studio’s recent slate of theatrical releases has been a mixed bag, with several projects failing to recoup their massive budgets. For example, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt earned just $9 million against an $80 million budget, while the documentary Melania grossed $16 million—impressive for the genre—but fell far short of its $40 million budget. Similarly, the R-rated crime film Crime 101 made $65 million on a $90 million investment. Despite these misfires, Amazon has had some wins, including Creed III’s $276 million gross and Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper, which earned $162 million on a $40 million budget. A sequel to The Beekeeper is planned for 2027. Amazon’s theatrical ambitions have been complicated by its unique business model. Unlike traditional studios, Amazon funds massive marketing campaigns upfront, relying on its vast resources to promote films before they reach streaming platforms. However, industry analysts argue that this approach may not be sustainable. “Every studio operates by the same metrics: A slate of movies has to make money—more income than expenses,” says David A.#amazon #amazon_mgm #ryan_gosling #project_hail_mary #creed_iii
Melania Vanishes From Box Office Charts After Just 4 Weeks Melania Trump’s documentary, which chronicled her time as first lady, has disappeared from domestic box office charts just four weeks after its release. Despite initial praise from the Trump campaign, the film failed to attract widespread audiences, with its earnings falling far short of expectations. The documentary, produced by Amazon MGM, was released on January 30, 2026, and earned approximately $7 million in its opening weekend. However, by the end of its theatrical run, it had grossed around $16.2 million domestically and an additional $187,000 internationally. The film’s box office performance was overshadowed by its limited international reach. It was pulled from South Africa before its scheduled release and struggled in the United Kingdom, where it was no longer showing as of February. Critics and audiences reacted sharply to the documentary, with its critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes at a dismal 11 percent. Meanwhile, audience approval stood at 98 percent, highlighting a stark divide in reception. The film was also accused of being review-bombed online before its release, with some users flooding platforms like Letterboxd with negative critiques. Amazon MGM spent $40 million to acquire the documentary and an additional $35 million on marketing, yet its earnings did not justify the investment. The film’s director, Brett Ratner, faced scrutiny over his involvement in the Epstein files, and the production team was criticized for using musical numbers without permission. Posters for the film were also vandalized, with reports of “extensive and severe” damage. Despite its financial underperformance, the documentary remains available for streaming on Amazon.#melania_trump #amazon_mgm #brett_ratner #rottent_tomatoes #letterboxd
