Last week, Project Hail Mary faced an uphill battle, securing shows in only 6 out of 34 IMAX screens across India on its release day, March 26. However, thanks to the impactful reporting by Bollywood Hungama, the relentless efforts of the Sony Pictures team, and sustained pressure from enthusiastic fans, the situation rapidly turned around. Exhibitors soon relented, and by March 27, all IMAX theatres began screening Project Hail Mary, with demand so high that Eros Cinema even ran shows at 3:45 am on March 28 and 29.
The Week 2 Showdown: A Resounding Victory
As the film entered its second week, a fresh tussle emerged for IMAX slots. Jio Studios pushed for shows for 'Dhurandhar The Revenge,' while Universal Pictures advocated for 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.' Yet again, Project Hail Mary has emerged victorious in securing prime showcasing.
Bollywood Hungama has confirmed the latest distribution:
• Project Hail Mary: A staggering 108 shows across 34 IMAX screens in India.
• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: 66 shows.
• Dhurandhar The Revenge: 21 shows daily.
This allocation means Sony has secured nearly double the IMAX shows compared to 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' and an impressive five times more than 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' for its second week. Remarkably, Project Hail Mary now boasts more showcasing than it did in its entire first week.
Unstoppable Audience Demand & IMAX's True Potential
The demand for Project Hail Mary in IMAX remains exceptionally high. As a film shot specifically for the IMAX format, it ideally deserves extensive IMAX showcasing, a fact that has finally been recognized. The 3:00 am shows for Project Hail Mary will continue at Eros this week, with many theatres also adding 6:00 am and 7:00 am slots to meet the overwhelming audience interest.
Dhurandhar The Revenge's Reduced Presence
From April 3, 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' will see significant reductions in its IMAX presence. In Mumbai, it will play only post 11:30 pm in multiplexes like Inox R City Ghatkopar, Miraj Wadala, Cinepolis Seawoods, and Inox Sky City Mall Borivali, and at 6:55 pm at Eros. Similar arrangements are observed in IMAX cinemas across Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, and Coimbatore. Furthermore, many IMAX cinemas, including PVR IMAX Lower Parel, Cinepolis Thane, Inox Maison BKC, and PVR Superplex Logix Noida, have discontinued 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' entirely from April 3.
Box Office Triumph
Project Hail Mary's extraordinary run is also reflected in its box office performance. Reports indicate first-week collections are around Rs. 25-26 crores, and with this phenomenal trend, the film is poised for a lifetime collection of well over Rs. 50 crores.
