According to industry reports, Project Hail Mary outperformed The Mandalorian and Grogu in per-theater average during their opening weekends, scoring $20,091 per screen versus the Star Wars film's roughly $18,837. the Ryan Gosling-led sci-fi epic opened to $80 million from 4,007 theaters, while the Pedro Pascal-starring spin-off earned $81 million domestically from 4,300 theaters. This per-screen edge, though slight, has upended early expectations for 2026's top sci-fi contender.

The $1,000 per-screen gap that rewrote the 2026 sci-fi plot

The report shows Project Hail Mary averaged $20,091 per theater in its debut, over $1,000 more than The Mandalorian and Grogu's $18,837. This is especially notable because the Star Wars film played in 293 more theaters yet failed to convert the extra screens into proportionally higher revenue. As the source notes, Project Hail Mary's per-theater average of $20,091 made it "a better per-theater average on its opening weekend."

The domestic totals are close — $81 million for The Mandalorian and Grogu versus $80 million for Project Hail Mary — but the per-screen efficiency suggests stronger word-of-mouth potential for the Ryan Gosling vehicle. In a crowded sci-fi year, that metric often predicts longer box office legs.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's redemption arc after Solo

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary marks a return to sci-fi for the duo who were famously fired from Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2017. That film went on to become the franchise's first box office disappointment. Now, according to the report, their adaptation of Andy Weir's novel has bested a Star Wars property in per-screen performance — a narrative turn that rivals any film script.

The irony is rich: Lord and Miller were initially brought in to bring a fresh comedic touch to the galaxy far, far away, but clashed with Lucasfilm. Project Hail Mary, an original sci-fi story starring Ryan Gosling, demonstrates that their vision may be better suited to non-franchise material. This could signal a broader industry trend: audiences may be tiring of legacy IP, even beloved ones like The Mandalorian.

What the missing data reveals about the race ahead

The report leaves several crucial questions unanswered. It does not specify whether Project Hail Mary's $80 million opening is domestic or global, nor does it provide The Mandalorian and Grogu's domestic per-theater average directly (it is derived from the $81 million total and 4,300 screens). overseas figures for Project Hail Mary are also absent, making a direct comparison incomplete.

Further unknowns include the budgets of both films — a key factor in profitability — and their critical reception. The source also does not mention audience scores or Cinemascore grades. without these, it is premature to declare Project Hail Mary the 2026 sci-fi winner, but the per-theater advantage is a strong early indicator. As the year's other sci-fi entries arrive, the opening weekend numbers will be watched closely.