AceShowbiz - Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, has achieved a major box office milestone by surpassing the lifetime global earnings of his 2017 sci-fi film Blade Runner 2049. This latest release has also more than doubled the worldwide gross of Gosling’s critically praised biopic First Man and is on course to overtake La La Land as his highest-grossing movie. In recent years, Gosling has aimed to shift from arthouse cinema toward more mainstream projects, with the highly anticipated Star Wars: Starfighter slated for release in 2027. Project Hail Mary is proving to be a crucial stepping stone toward that goal, having expanded rapidly across global markets during its second weekend.

The film marks the theatrical return of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who have not released a movie in theaters for over ten years. Adapted from the novel by Andy Weir, whose earlier bestseller inspired Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Project Hail Mary boasts a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This score ranks it higher than any other movie in Ryan Gosling’s career. Gosling’s filmography is notable for critically acclaimed titles such as Blade Runner 2049, First Man, and La La Land, as well as popular films like Drive, The Nice Guys, The Big Short, and Barbie. The new film is also his most expensive to date, with a reported production budget of $200 million. Unlike previous Amazon Studios releases, Project Hail Mary has performed exceptionally well in the IMAX format, contributing to its box office success.

This past weekend, Project Hail Mary earned nearly $55 million domestically, pushing its total North American gross beyond $160 million. Internationally, it has accumulated over $130 million, bringing its worldwide total to roughly $300 million. Notably, the film has surpassed the $244 million global gross of M. Night Shyamalan’s 2013 sci-fi adventure After Earth, which starred Will Smith and Jaden Smith. After Earth was widely panned by critics and marked the lowest-rated movie of Shyamalan’s career on Rotten Tomatoes. It was intended as a major comeback attempt for the director but failed to resonate with audiences or critics alike. This contrast highlights the commercial and critical impact of Project Hail Mary in comparison.

Project Hail Mary tells the story of an astronaut on a mission to save Earth from an impending ice age by traveling to a distant galaxy. The film is based on the novel by Andy Weir and features Ryan Gosling in the lead role of Ryland Grace. The movie blends elements of science fiction, adventure, and drama across its 156-minute runtime and carries a PG-13 rating. The screenplay was adapted by Drew Goddard alongside Weir, with production credits including Gosling, Amy Pascal, and both directors, Lord and Miller.

As Project Hail Mary continues its theatrical run, it is expected to further solidify Ryan Gosling’s transition into blockbuster cinema and set the stage for his upcoming ventures. Stay tuned to Collider for ongoing updates on this film’s performance and its place within Gosling’s evolving career trajectory.