Ryan Gosling spends most of Project Hail Mary alone in a spacecraft 12 light-years from Earth, tapping on glass to communicate with a rock-shelled alien named Rocky. Seeing that on a six-story IMAX screen at Lincoln Square is a different experience from a 30-foot wall in Bay Ridge. Here is how to find Project Hail Mary showtimes across Brooklyn and the rest of the city, which formats are worth paying for, and how to avoid a sold-out Saturday.
Key Takeaways
- Release date: Amazon MGM Studios opened Project Hail Mary nationwide on Friday, March 20, 2026, with preview screenings the Thursday before.
- Formats: Standard digital, IMAX, IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema, RPX and dine-in. The IMAX and IMAX 3D versions carry their own listings, so search both.
- Best Brooklyn options: Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn, Nitehawk Williamsburg and Prospect Park, Regal UA Court Street, Regal Sheepshead Bay (IMAX) and Alpine Cinemas in Bay Ridge.
- Worth the subway ride: AMC Lincoln Square 13 in Manhattan has the largest IMAX screen in the city and sells out first.
- Tickets: Buy through the theater’s own app or site, Fandango, or Atom Tickets. Reserved seating is standard everywhere, so book early for Friday and Saturday evenings.
- Runtime planning: The film runs roughly two and a half hours. Add 20 minutes of trailers when you plan dinner or a babysitter.
The Basics Before You Pick a Showtime
Project Hail Mary is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the duo behind The Lego Movie (2014) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), working from a screenplay by Drew Goddard. Goddard also adapted Andy Weir’s The Martian for Ridley Scott in 2015, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher who wakes up on a ship with no memory, two dead crewmates, and a mission he slowly pieces together. Sandra Hüller, the German actor from Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest, plays Eva Stratt, the woman who put him there. The supporting cast includes Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung and Milana Vayntrub.
The source novel came out in May 2021 and sat on bestseller lists for months. Fans of the book will want to know the film keeps the two-timeline structure: flashbacks on Earth as the sun begins to dim, intercut with Grace’s present-day crisis near the star Tau Ceti.
The film is rated PG-13. Amazon MGM Studios is distributing in theaters, which matters for one reason: Amazon owns Prime Video, so the eventual streaming home is not a mystery. More on that below.
Which Format Should You Book?
Showtime listings for this film are split across several versions. Searching “Project Hail Mary” alone on Fandango or a theater app often buries the IMAX showings under a separate title, usually “Project Hail Mary: An IMAX 3D Experience” or “Project Hail Mary: The IMAX Experience.” Check both before you assume a theater has no evening slot.
IMAX and IMAX 3D
Lord and Miller shot the film with IMAX cameras, and the space sequences are built for scale. On a true IMAX screen with a 1.43:1 aspect ratio, those scenes open up to fill the full height of the wall. Only a handful of screens in the region do that. Most “IMAX” auditoriums in multiplexes are the smaller digital variety, which still looks sharp but does not expand the image the same way.
The 3D version is a real conversion with depth, not a token upcharge. If you dislike glasses, the 2D IMAX showings exist at the same theaters. They are just fewer, and they tend to be the first to sell out on opening weekend.
Dolby Cinema
AMC’s Dolby Cinema auditoriums offer high contrast laser projection and Dolby Atmos sound. For a film where a lot of the drama happens in near-silence inside a ship, the sound mix matters. Daniel Pemberton’s score has plenty of low-end rumble that these rooms handle well.
RPX and 4DX
Regal’s RPX is a large-format screen with upgraded sound. Fine, not essential. 4DX adds motion seats, wind and water effects. It is fun for a car chase. It is a strange fit for a story about a man quietly solving physics problems with an alien. Skip it unless you want the novelty.
Standard digital and dine-in
A standard digital screening at a well-run theater still looks great. If you want dinner during the movie, Nitehawk and Alamo Drafthouse both serve full menus to your seat, and their projection is better than most multiplexes.
Brooklyn Theaters Showing Project Hail Mary
Brooklyn has more first-run screens than it did a decade ago, and most of them booked this film. Here is what to expect from each, organized roughly north to south.
Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg (Metropolitan Avenue at Berry Street)
Nitehawk Williamsburg has three small auditoriums and a server who takes orders silently during the film. Seats are reserved, and the Friday and Saturday evening shows for a title this big go fast. Weeknight 7 p.m. slots are the sweet spot. The L train to Bedford Avenue gets you within a five-minute walk.
Nitehawk tends to program fewer daily showtimes than a multiplex, often two or three per day per film, so check the week’s schedule rather than assuming a late show exists.
Williamsburg Cinemas (Grand Street at Driggs Avenue)
This seven-screen theater is the no-frills alternative a few blocks south of Nitehawk. Prices run lower than the dine-in options, and it reliably carries the biggest releases with more daily showtimes. If Nitehawk’s Saturday night is gone, this is where to look next.
Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn (City Point, Albee Square West)
Alamo is the best all-around pick in the borough for a movie like this. The auditoriums are large, the projection is well maintained, and the house rules forbid talking and phone use. Staff will warn you once and then remove you. For a film built on slow-burn tension, that policy is worth a lot.
The theater sits inside the City Point mall, above the DeKalb Market Hall food court, so a pre-show meal is easy even if you skip the in-theater menu. Nearly every subway line stops within a few blocks at DeKalb Avenue, Jay Street-MetroTech or Atlantic Terminal. Alamo also runs the Season Pass subscription if you plan to see this more than once, which fans of the book might.
Regal UA Court Street (Court Street at Schermerhorn)
A longtime Downtown Brooklyn standby with 12 screens, including an RPX auditorium. This is where to go if you want the most showtimes per day in Brooklyn. The late-evening shows here tend to have seats available even on opening weekend. Regal Unlimited members can use their subscription here.
BAM Rose Cinemas (Lafayette Avenue, Fort Greene)
BAM books a mix of repertory programming and first-run films, and it has carried big studio releases with strong critical buzz. Its four screens have a classic feel, and the building is a short walk from Atlantic Terminal. Showtimes are limited compared with a multiplex. Check BAM’s own site rather than relying on third-party apps, which sometimes lag on its schedule.
Cobble Hill Cinemas (Court Street, Cobble Hill)
Five screens, a neighborhood vibe, and some of the cheaper ticket prices in brownstone Brooklyn, especially for matinees. The auditoriums are small, so a 2 p.m. weekday showing here is a low-stress way to see the film without the crowds. The F and G trains at Bergen Street are two blocks away.
Nitehawk Prospect Park (Prospect Park West, Windsor Terrace)
The larger Nitehawk location took over the old Pavilion theater and has seven screens, which means more showtimes than the Williamsburg original. Same dine-in format, same reserved seating. The main auditorium is the one to aim for. The F and G at 15th Street-Prospect Park drop you across the street.
Alpine Cinemas (Fifth Avenue, Bay Ridge)
Bay Ridge’s independent multiplex has eight screens and some of the most affordable tickets in the borough. It is a family-friendly house and tends to book several daily showtimes for a release this size. The R train to Bay Ridge Avenue is the closest stop.
Regal UA Sheepshead Bay (Knapp Street)
This is Brooklyn’s IMAX option. The screen is a digital IMAX, not the full-height variety you get at Lincoln Square, but it is large and the sound is strong. If you want the IMAX 3D showing without crossing the river, this is the place. Parking is easier here than anywhere else on this list, which matters if you are coming from southern Brooklyn or Queens by car. Transit is weaker: the B and Q at Sheepshead Bay plus a bus or a long walk.
Kent Theatre (Coney Island Avenue, Midwood)
A small two-screen theater with low prices and a loyal local crowd. It typically carries one or two major releases at a time. If Project Hail Mary is on the marquee, the midweek showings here will be the quietest in Brooklyn.
Manhattan Theaters Worth the Trip
Brooklyn covers most needs, but the premium formats are stronger across the East River.
AMC Lincoln Square 13 (Broadway at 68th Street)
This is the one. The IMAX auditorium here has the biggest screen in New York City and the full 1.43:1 aspect ratio that shows the film as Lord and Miller framed it. It is also the first auditorium in the city to sell out for any major IMAX release. Book the day tickets go on sale if you want a weekend evening, and expect prime seats to be gone within hours.
Weekday afternoon shows are your friend. A Tuesday 1 p.m. IMAX screening at Lincoln Square is usually both available and cheaper. The 1 train stops at 66th Street directly outside, and the 2 and 3 at 72nd Street are a short walk.
AMC Stubs A-List members can book IMAX here as part of their three-movies-a-week allowance, which makes it the best value in town for a film you might want to see twice.
AMC Empire 25 (42nd Street, Times Square)
Empire 25 has an IMAX screen, a Dolby Cinema and a huge number of daily showtimes. It is loud and crowded, but it is also open late and almost never fully sold out across all its screenings. Good backup when everything else is gone. Every subway line that matters stops at Times Square.
Regal Battery Park (Vesey Street, Lower Manhattan)
An 11-screen Regal with an IMAX auditorium near Brookfield Place. It draws a quieter crowd than Midtown. For Brooklyn residents near the 2, 3, 4 or 5 trains, this is often faster to reach than Lincoln Square. The IMAX here is the digital variety.
Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan (Liberty Street, Financial District)
Alamo’s newest city location, in the basement of 28 Liberty. Same strict no-talking policy, same dine-in menu, 14 screens. The Financial District empties out at night, so parking and crowds are both lighter after 7 p.m. The 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J and Z all stop within a few blocks.
Regal Union Square (Broadway at 13th Street)
A big Regal with an RPX screen and plenty of showtimes. Easy for anyone coming off the L from Williamsburg or Bushwick. The theater can get rowdy on Friday nights, so pick a weeknight if you want quiet.
AMC 34th Street 14 and AMC Kips Bay 15
Both are solid midtown multiplexes with Dolby Cinema auditoriums and frequent showtimes. Neither has IMAX. They rarely sell out and are good last-minute options if you are already in Manhattan.
Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island
For readers in the outer boroughs, the picture is simpler.
- Queens: Regal Atlas Park in Glendale has an RPX screen and parking. Cinemart Cinemas in Forest Hills is the neighborhood pick with lower prices. Kew Gardens Cinemas leans arthouse but books major releases with buzz.
- The Bronx: AMC Bay Plaza 13 in Co-op City has the most showtimes and a Dolby Cinema.
- Staten Island: Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island at the Staten Island Mall carries the dine-in format, and Regal Staten Island covers standard showings.
How to Get Tickets Without Overpaying
Reserved seating means the ticket is the seat. Buy early, and buy smart.
Use the theater’s own app first
AMC, Regal, Alamo and Nitehawk all sell tickets through their own apps and websites. Buying direct avoids the convenience fee Fandango and Atom add, which runs a couple dollars per ticket in New York. AMC and Regal also waive online fees for their subscription members.
Fandango and Atom are still useful for one thing: searching every theater in a zip code at once. Use them to compare showtimes, then buy direct.
Subscriptions pay for themselves fast in NYC
Manhattan ticket prices for premium formats are among the highest in the country. If you see more than two movies a month, the math favors a subscription:
| Program | Chains | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| AMC Stubs A-List | AMC | Up to three movies a week, all formats including IMAX and Dolby, no online fees |
| Regal Unlimited | Regal | Unlimited standard showings; premium formats carry a surcharge |
| Alamo Season Pass | Alamo Drafthouse | One movie a day, standard showings, small surcharge for premium |
A-List is the strongest fit for this film because it covers the Lincoln Square IMAX with no format upcharge beyond the base tier.
Cheaper showtimes
Matinees before 4 p.m. are discounted at most chains. AMC runs discount Tuesdays for Stubs members, including the free tier. Alpine, Cobble Hill and the Kent in Brooklyn charge less across the board than the chains. For a film that runs two and a half hours, a Sunday 11 a.m. show at Cobble Hill is a relaxed, inexpensive way to see it.
When to book
For opening weekend, book Thursday previews or Friday evenings a week out. For the second and third weekends, two or three days ahead is enough for standard screenings. IMAX at Lincoln Square is the exception. That auditorium needs a week of lead time for any Friday or Saturday evening show through at least the first month.
Picking the Right Showtime for a Long Film
The runtime is 156 minutes before trailers. Theaters in New York typically run 15 to 20 minutes of previews and ads. A 7 p.m. listing means the film starts around 7:20 and ends past 9:50. A 9:30 p.m. show lets out after midnight.
Plan accordingly if you are relying on the subway from Sheepshead Bay or Bay Ridge, where late-night service is slower. For Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan, every listed theater is within a few blocks of lines that run all night.
Dine-in theaters add a wrinkle. At Nitehawk and Alamo, arrive 20 minutes before the listed time to order. Servers stop taking new orders partway through the film at Alamo, so get your main course in early.
Why the Format Choice Matters for This Particular Film
Most of Project Hail Mary takes place in two confined spaces: a spacecraft interior and an alien’s adjoining vessel, with a transparent barrier between them. Lord and Miller lean on that constraint. Long stretches have no dialogue, just Gosling working through a problem and Rocky, a puppet performed on set by James Ortiz, responding in musical tones.
The payoff for IMAX is in the exterior shots. Tau Ceti, the dimming sun, and the planet Adrian fill the frame, and the expanded image at Lincoln Square makes the scale land. On a smaller screen, those moments are still beautiful. They just do not swallow you.
The sound mix is the other reason to care about the room. Pemberton’s score and the sound design use silence deliberately. A theater with a leaky auditorium next door, which is a real issue at some older Brooklyn multiplexes, will puncture that. Alamo and Nitehawk both have good isolation. So do the Dolby rooms at AMC.
Background: From a Self-Published Author to a $100 Million Space Movie
Andy Weir’s path is unusual. He self-published The Martian as a free serial on his website starting around 2009, then sold the Kindle version for 99 cents in 2011. Crown picked it up, Ridley Scott filmed it, and the 2015 movie earned seven Oscar nominations and well over $600 million worldwide.
Project Hail Mary, his third novel after Artemis (2017), arrived in May 2021 and was snapped up for film before publication. Gosling signed on as both star and producer. Lord and Miller, best known for animation and comedy, had not made a live-action film since 22 Jump Street in 2014. That pairing raised eyebrows. The first trailer in summer 2025 settled most of the doubts, showing a tone closer to The Martian’s mix of humor and dread than to anything in their animated work.
The film was one of the most anticipated titles on the 2026 calendar, and Amazon MGM Studios gave it a wide theatrical window rather than rushing it to Prime Video. That is a notable choice for a studio whose parent company runs a streaming service, and it reflects how the industry has swung back toward long exclusive theatrical runs for big-budget originals since Oppenheimer’s 2023 success.
What It Means for the Local Theater Scene
A sci-fi film with a strong IMAX hook is the kind of release that fills seats on weeknights, not just weekends. Theater owners in New York have said for years that the business depends on a steady flow of these mid-March to late-April titles to bridge the gap between the holidays and summer.
For Brooklyn specifically, this is a test of how much premium-format demand the borough can keep home. Regal Sheepshead Bay’s IMAX is the only option south of the river. If it fills consistently, it strengthens the case for more large-format screens in the borough, something Alamo and Nitehawk have both been asked about by patrons for years.
What Happens Next
Expect Project Hail Mary to stay in wide release for at least five or six weeks, with IMAX screens handing over to the next tentpole sooner than standard auditoriums. If you want the IMAX experience, see it within the first three weekends.
Streaming will come later. Amazon MGM’s theatrical titles have generally landed on Prime Video after their theatrical and digital-purchase windows close, which in recent cases has meant a few months rather than a few weeks. No streaming date has been announced. Until then, theaters are the only place to watch it.
If you want to prepare, The Martian is widely available to rent or buy on digital platforms and rotates through subscription services. The Project Hail Mary audiobook, narrated by Ray Porter, is a popular way to revisit the book before seeing the film, and it is on Audible and most library apps.
Two Local Tips the Listings Won’t Tell You
First, the Lincoln Square IMAX has a known sweet spot. The middle of the auditorium, roughly rows G through K, gives you the full screen without craning your neck. The first six rows are too close for a 1.43:1 image. Seat maps on the AMC app show row letters, so aim for the middle third.
Second, if you are seeing it in Downtown Brooklyn, DeKalb Market Hall below Alamo closes earlier than you might expect on weeknights. Eat before a 9 p.m. show or plan to order inside the theater. For Nitehawk Prospect Park, the diners and bars along Prospect Park West and 15th Street are open late and a better post-show option than anything inside the theater after the kitchen closes.
If You’ve Read the Book
Stay away from the second trailer if you have not read the novel. It reveals a plot turn that the book holds back for about 100 pages. The first trailer is safe.
For readers who know the story, the film is faithful to the structure and to the tone. The biggest changes are in pacing of the Earth-based flashbacks, which are trimmed, and in how Stratt’s role is expanded for Hüller. The Rocky scenes are the reason to see it on the biggest, quietest screen you can find.
FAQ
Where can I find Project Hail Mary showtimes in Brooklyn today?
Search Fandango or Atom Tickets with your zip code, then check the theater’s own app for the final purchase. Brooklyn theaters carrying the film include Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn, both Nitehawk locations, Regal UA Court Street, Williamsburg Cinemas, Cobble Hill Cinemas, Alpine Cinemas, BAM and Regal Sheepshead Bay. Remember that IMAX showings are often listed under a separate title.
Is Project Hail Mary playing in IMAX in Brooklyn?
Yes, at Regal UA Sheepshead Bay, which has the borough’s only IMAX screen. For the largest IMAX in the city with the full-height 1.43:1 image, go to AMC Lincoln Square 13 in Manhattan. Regal Battery Park and AMC Empire 25 also have IMAX auditoriums.
Should I see it in 3D or 2D?
The 3D conversion is well done and the space sequences benefit from depth. If glasses bother you, 2D IMAX is available at the same theaters, usually with fewer daily showtimes. Standard 2D at a good theater is a perfectly satisfying way to watch it.
How long is Project Hail Mary?
Roughly two and a half hours before trailers. Budget close to three hours from the listed showtime to when you leave the theater.
Is Project Hail Mary okay for kids?
The film is rated PG-13. It contains some intense peril and a few frightening moments, but no graphic violence. Readers of the book will remember the mild language, and the film keeps a similar level. Ten and up is a reasonable guide for most families.
When will Project Hail Mary be on streaming?
No date has been announced. Amazon MGM Studios distributed the film, so it will eventually land on Prime Video, most likely after a digital purchase window. Based on the studio’s recent releases, expect several months in theaters and on digital before it hits the subscription service.
