Ok, ok, ok! Mr. Ryan Gosling finally outdid himself on a project that speaks to his strengths, whilst giving him a robust film to kick off the weekend before Easter comes rolling around. The fact that his latest sci-fi blockbuster, Project Hail Mary, opened with $80.6 million in its debut gives MGM Studios some bragging rights in the interim, and with great perspicacity, something for us critics (or cinephiles or analysts, whatever term you wish to coin) to rejoice over.
This is a big live-action film, released solely as a movie, with all the hallmark ingredients of what makes a non-franchise, adult-skewing film. Excellent reviews (including an A from CinemaScore), an easy pitch of a premise for folks to follow, and the promise of cinematic escapism. Perhaps folks were not as interested if it were solely banked on directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord in their first live-action theatrical outing since 22 Jump Street, but it shall be reserved as a bonus. Gosling, as we’ve gone on record before, has not been the definitive draw in many recent blockbusters, even if he shows great merit in a supporting role, a la Barbie. With this breakout performance, it has easily toppled Creed III’s $58 million debut in 2023 to become MGM Studios’ biggest opening thus far, and it ranks second only to Oppenheimer among breakout “just a movie” films.
With $60 million from overseas, it’s already sitting at a $141 million global tally on a $190 million budget. If it legs like a champion for the next few weeks, a $450 million global finish is a good possibility to justify its marketing expenses. MGM Studios jumped into the deep end of the pool with this outing and proved they could mount a worthwhile offense when concepts and actors became endangered species compared to the IPs and marquee characters everyone and their grandmother knows.
In other news, Hoppers dipped 37% this weekend with $18 million, bringing its domestic cume to $120.4 million. It is a few days away from passing Migration and will most assuredly surpass Elemental‘s $154 million domestic total to become the second-highest domestic toon since Coco. Pixar’s latest outing will be passing $250 million globally imminently as well.
Dhurandhar: The Revenge opened with $9.572 million in third place. Its predecessor, Dhurandhar, opened last year’s post-Thanksgiving frame with $1.98 million in 391 theaters, then launched to $3.5 million and eventually legged out to $19.7 million. Good stuff for a Hindi thriller.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come opened with only $9.1 million, which is somewhat muted compared to its well-liked and lower-budgeted predecessor. Maybe it’s a perilous “too little, too late” situation, while other folks will claim it got whammed by Ryan Gosling doing Ryan Gosling things. Reminders of Him dipped 56% in its second weekend, earning $8 million. Scream 7 will end up netting less than twice its $63 million weekend, even though it will surpass $200 million worldwide.
GOAT will pass $100 million in domestic sales sometime by Tuesday night. And Undertone has passed $15 million in domestic revenue.
Next weekend sees the release of They Will Kill You, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Forbidden Fruits, and Fantasy Life.
