Project Hail Mary Surpasses The Martian at Domestic Box Office

by

The new sci-fi film, Project Hail Mary, has earned more money in the U.S. than the critically acclaimed The Martian, which was also based on the same author’s work.

When it came out in 2015, the movie The Martian made $228.4 million in the United States and Canada. Now, the new movie Project Hail Mary has earned $229 million, making it more successful than The Martian.

Project Hail Mary Surpasses The Martian at the Box Office

Comparing Project Hail Mary and The Martian feels a bit like watching two movies from the same family compete. Both are based on books by Andy Weir, and the screenplays for both were written by Drew Goddard.

Fans might think The Martian has an advantage because of its director’s experience. Ridley Scott, who directed The Martian, is a well-respected figure in science fiction, known for his 1979 film Alien.

Despite being released over a decade after the acclaimed film The Martian (which received 7 Academy Award nominations), Project Hail Mary has become a major box-office success in 2026, grossing nearly $430 million worldwide.

Project Hail Mary and The Martian Both Got High Marks for Science

A hallmark of Andy Weir’s work, including its film adaptations like The Martian – the story of an astronaut stranded on Mars – is its commitment to portraying believable science within a science fiction setting. Astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter praised the movie, giving it his highest rating in a video review.

Sutton gave the clips a perfect score, saying, “I absolutely love this movie! It’s a really great story about science and how it can solve problems.”

While Project Hail Mary explores the exciting possibility of alien life, it stretches the boundaries of what’s scientifically plausible. However,

Dr. Becky points out that the story gets the science right in areas like time dilation and artificial gravity. However, concepts like the astrophage venture into pure science fiction, going beyond our current understanding of cells and energy. But she emphasizes that’s the point of good science fiction – to build on real science and then explore possibilities beyond what we currently know.

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary is based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir and adapted into a screenplay by Goddard. The movie features Ryan Gosling as the lead, alongside Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce. Critics have given the film positive reviews, awarding it a 94% ‘certified fresh’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Project Hail Mary is now playing in theaters — .

As a Fandango Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Read More

2026-04-09 23:11