Project Hail Mary will continue its highly successful theatrical run, according to Amazon MGM’s announcement at CinemaCon this week. The studio has extended the film’s release window and delayed its debut on Prime Video.
Co-director Chris Miller confirmed the delay in a post on X, stating the film “won’t be on streaming anytime soon” and will return to IMAX screens for one week only starting this weekend.
Why the Extended Theatrical Run?
Project Hail Mary has already grossed $517 million worldwide, making it one of the year’s biggest box-office successes. The film’s extended run contrasts with Amazon MGM’s previous release, Crime 101, which received strong reviews but faced tougher competition. Unlike Crime 101, which went to streaming after 45 days, Project Hail Mary is spending more time in theaters.
Amazon MGM’s approach differs from its handling of other films, such as Mercy, a sci-fi movie starring Chris Pratt. Despite debuting at the top of the box office, Mercy made less than Crime 101 and was sent to streaming in under a month.
The Ongoing Battle Between Streamers and Theaters
The extended run of Project Hail Mary highlights the ongoing tension between streaming services and theater owners over release windows. At CinemaCon, Paramount CEO David Ellison—who is expected to soon acquire Warner Bros.—pledged that Paramount would adhere to a 45-day theatrical window before releasing films to VOD and a 90-day window before they appear on Paramount+.
This commitment comes just weeks after Paramount released Scream 7, the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2025, to VOD after just 32 days in theaters.
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