Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary” remains a hot ticket at movie theaters, dropping just 32% from its $80.6 million opening weekend to just $54.5 million in its second frame.
By comparison, Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part Two” earned a $46.2 million second weekend in March 2024 for a 10-day domestic total of $157.2 million. “Project Hail Mary” stands at an estimated $164.3 million through this Sunday and remains on track to pass the $282 million domestic run of “Dune 2.”
Still, passing that mark and potentially $300 million in North America is no guarantee. Starting Wednesday, the film will cede its premium format screens to Universal/Illumination’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which is tracking for a $170 million 5-day opening.
Given its status as a more mature albeit still kid-accessible sci-fi blockbuster, “Project Hail Mary” could still leg out against the nostalgia-loaded Nintendo animated film. But it will no longer be the top choice in theaters across all demographics. By Easter Sunday, we will have a better idea of what the final total will be for what has become Amazon’s biggest box office hit to date.
Globally, “Project Hail Mary” has crossed that $300 million mark, adding $54.1 million from 86 overseas markets this weekend — just a 5% drop from the previous frame — for an international total of $108.6 million. The U.K. remains the top overseas market with $20.1 million, followed by China with $19.2 million and Australia with $10.2 million.
The bad news for theaters is that the box office remains top heavy, a major reason why business remains roughly 25% below pre-pandemic levels. The only film to gross more than $5 million this weekend aside from “Hail Mary” is Disney/Pixar’s “Hoppers” with $12 million in its fourth weekend, giving it a total of $138.6 million domestic and $297.6 million worldwide.
After that, three films grossed estimated totals of around $5 million, putting them in a log jam for the No. 3 spot on the charts. Currently expected to take that third place spot is the sole newcomer in the top 5, Warner Bros./New Line’s “They Will Kill You” with a lackluster $5 million launch from 2,778 locations. Reception leans positive with a B- on CinemaScore and Rotten Tomatoes scores of 66% critics and 80% audience.
Earning an additional $4 million overseas, the bloody thriller starring Zazie Beetz will need legs just to post a modest theatrical profit against its $20 million budget. Warner and New Line will look to stronger box office returns over the next two months with Lee Cronin’s “The Mummy” in April and the video game sequel “Mortal Kombat II” in May.
Just behind “They Will Kill You” is Indian action thriller “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” with a $4.9 million second weekend, giving it a 10-day total of just under $23 million that surpasses the $19.7 million theatrical run of the first “Dhurandhar” last year. Universal’s “Reminders of Him” completes the top 5 with $4.7 million in its third weekend for a $41 million domestic total and $69.5 million worldwide, continuing its modest run against its $25 million budget.
Outside the top 5, Searchlight’s “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” made $4 million in its second weekend for a $16 million 10-day total, matching the pace of the first “Ready or Not” in 2019 before inflation adjustment.
Finally, Sony Pictures Animation’s “Goat” crossed the $100 million domestic mark with $2.2 million, bringing its global total to $181 million. It is Sony Animation’s first film outside of the “Spider-Verse” series to cross the $100 million mark since “Hotel Transylvania 3” in 2018.
