Two weeks into its release, Project Hail Mary has become a genuine box‑office driver, crossing the $300 million mark worldwide in just over a fortnight.
With a reported $200 million production budget and marketing spend that could reach half that amount, analysts say breaking even may hinge on a roughly $600 million global haul. That target is now increasingly plausible given the momentum.
In its second weekend, the film dropped 32% domestically, adding $54.5 million to the home box office tally. That pace compares with Oppenheimer’s second weekend, which fell 43.4% to about $46.7 million in the U.S.
Internationally, the second frame delivered only a 3% decline, pushing the overseas total to $136.9 million. In several markets the film even gained ground week to week, outpacing some space‑epics in recent history.
While it may not eclipse Oppenheimer, the release could still extend its life and approach the upper end of forecasts. The international performance, combined with a strong domestic hold, keeps Project Hail Mary on track to a very big finish, should the trajectory hold.
Next up, the pic faces competition from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which could nudge it from the top spot as summer releases heat up. Still, the movie’s broad appeal makes a long run plausible, keeping it in the conversation as the calendar moves forward.
For now, it stands as 2026’s top grosser with little sign of a slowdown, underscoring a shift toward more robust original titles at the box office.
Source: Original article
