Project Hail Mary becomes 2026’s top-grossing US film after strong second weekend

The science fiction film Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, has become the United States’ highest-grossing film of 2026, overtaking James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. According to studio estimates, the movie earned £54.5 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to £164.3 million in just two weeks. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the Amazon MGM production has already generated £300.8 million worldwide against a £200 million budget. The film’s performance offers a crucial success for Amazon MGM after a string of poor box office results.

Project Hail Mary tells the story of a middle school science teacher who is sent into space to save humanity, and co-stars Sandra Hüller and Lionel Boyce. Its box office debut reached £80.5 million domestically, surpassing Oppenheimer’s record for the best non-franchise opening weekend in recent years. Ticket sales dropped by just 32% in the second week, indicating strong audience interest and positive word-of-mouth.

The movie continues to outperform competitors such as Hoppers, which retains second place with £12.2 million, and the horror release They Will Kill You, which managed only £5 million. Globally, Project Hail Mary ranks second overall for 2026, behind China’s Pegasus 3, which has earned over £600 million. Reviews have been widely positive; The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey awarded four stars, describing it as a seamless mix of classic sci-fi influences reminiscent of Spielberg and Kubrick. The film’s next major box office challenge will come from Universal Pictures’ upcoming The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.