Ryan Gosling's sci-fi hit Project Hail Mary is going to spend a bit more time in theaters before viewers will be able to watch the movie at home.
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary opened in theaters nationwide on March 20. Based on Andy Weir's best-selling novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary follows a middle-school science teacher, Ryland Grace (Gosling), who is sent on a one-way intergalactic mission to save the after scientists find the antidote to a mysterious substance that is causing the sun to die out, which puts Earth in peril.
Along the way, Grace forms an unlikely bond with a rock-shaped spider-like alien, whom he names Rocky (voice of James Ortiz), whose planet and its inhabitants face the same cruel fate as Earth.
Thanks to the financial success of the movie and their desire to keep Project Hail Mary in theaters a while longer, Lord and Miller announced on X this week that the film's studio, Amazon MGM, is extending the film's theatrical run, which includes a return to IMAX screens. As such, Project Hail Mary's debut on streaming on Prime Video has been delayed to a date that is yet to be revealed by the streaming platform.
"We announced yesterday that MGM is extending the exclusive theatrical window for PROJECT HAIL MARY so it won't be on streaming anytime soon," the directing duo announced on Miller's X account. "This is a movie that needs to be seen on a big screen - and w a full return to IMAX screens for 1 week only starting this weekend, make plans to see it in a theater now! Bring friends and loved ones. It's an experience to share with others."
Project Hail Mary has been a big box office hit for Amazon MGM Studios. Since its March 20 release, the film has earned $269.8 million in domestic ticket sales and $254 million internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $523.8 million. The film had a net production budget before marketing costs, according to Puck News.
Recent Amazon MGM Releases Generally Have A 45-Day Theatrical Window
Generally, Amazon MGM Studios' theatrical releases take about 45 days -- give or take a few days -- to transition to streaming video on demand on Prime Video. For example, the studio's action thriller Crime 101, starring Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry, debuted on Prime Video on April 1, which was 47 days after its theatrical release on Feb. 13.
In addition, the Julia Roberts workplace drama After the Hunt, which was released theatrically on Oct. 10, 2025, arrived on Prime Video 41 days later, on Nov. 20. Ben Affleck's action thriller The Accountant 2 also had a 41-day theatrical window, as it arrived on Prime Video on June 5, 2025.
Had Project Hail Mary followed that same release pattern, then the film would have been looking at a release date on Prime Video somewhere between April 29 and May 6.
Amazon MGM Studios' 45-day theatrical window seems to be the new norm that studios are shooting for. On March 12, Universal Pictures announced that it was expanding its minimum theatrical window of 17 days to 31 days, and in 2027, it would expand that minimum to 45 days.
In addition, Paramount CEO David Ellison said during CinemaCon this week (via Deadline) that Paramount Pictures was immediately implementing a 45-day theatrical window between the day the studios release their films and theaters to the day they arrive on digital streaming via premium video on demand.
Currently, Paramount films on average arrive on PVOD about a month after they open in theaters.
Whether the same 45-day theatrical window would apply to Warner Bros. should the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger go through is yet to be seen, but given Ellison's commitment to theaters with Paramount's films, it seems likely he would do the same with Warner Bros.' releases. On average, Warner's films arrive on PVOD about a month after they open in theaters, with some exceptions including its Best Picture Oscar winner One Battle After Another.