Amazon Studios finally has a hit.
Forget about “Melania.”
Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s “Project Hail Mary” had a home run last night with $12 million in previews.
The Ryan Gosling space fest is headed toward a $70 million weekend.
Amazon never had a hit like this before.
Some of the credit must go to their newish head of global marketing, Sue Kroll, who turned a similar film — “Gravity” — into a massive hit for Warner Bros many moons ago. She knows her way around the cosmos!
“Project Hail Mary” cost at least $250 million. You can see it all on screen. The production is dazzling, including the music. It’s like being in a planetarium show. And that’s what saves it when the story gets bogged down. Also, when the two hour point hits, the production is what keeps you tuned in.
Look for “PJM” to get a lot of awards attention next winter for the below-the-line artisans.
Meantime, the box office should be buzzing this weekend.
