Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary, which premiered globally on March 20, released in India on March 26. The delay was due to the dominance of Ranveer Singh-led Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Even after the delay, the film initially got only five IMAX shows, which was later increased to 9, which was quite less for a film shot specifically for IMAX. The fewer shows upset the fans and now, more screens have been given to Project Hail Mary.

Out of India’s 34 IMAX theatres, the film initially secured only a handful of slots, as most premium screens were occupied by Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which released earlier on March 19 and continues to perform strongly at the box office.

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Initially, by Wednesday night (March 25), Project Hail Mary had no IMAX shows listed on major ticketing platforms. A few theatres in Kochi and Coimbatore briefly added IMAX screenings, only to withdraw them without explanation. By Thursday morning, the count gradually increased, first to five and then nine shows, spread across cities, including three in Mumbai, two in Pune, and one each in Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida.

The limited shows didn’t go unnoticed. Viewers quickly took to social media, expressing disappointment that a visually driven film was not being given enough space on IMAX screens.

Responding to the growing demand, exhibitors expanded the film’s IMAX presence. By Friday, tickets were available for more than 60 shows across the country, marking a significant increase and offering some relief to fans.

The response was immediate, with several shows already filling up. One X (formerly Twitter) user joked, “i’m booked for my second showing of project hail mary in imax 70mm on sunday except i’m in the front row so by the end of the movie i think i will physically be in space.”

Multiplex chain PVR INOX also confirmed the addition of more IMAX screenings on Thursday evening.

Some viewers felt the scheduling could have been better.

“Not even 2 hrs since this tweet and already all imax theatres in my area are almost fully booked.. I’ve been waiting for this film for months, you’ve gotta bring more imax shows lol,” one user wrote.

Another added, “I can’t tell you badly PVR has scheduled IMAX shows for Project Hail Mary. It’s all either early morning or late night.”

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary is based on Andy Weir’s bestselling novel. The film follows Ryland Grace, played by Gosling, who wakes up alone on a spacecraft with no memory—only to realise he may be humanity’s last hope. The film has been widely praised for its immersive visuals, with many insisting that its true impact can only be felt on large-format screens.

Earlier, talking about the film’s delayed release in India, director Phil Lord described it as a sign of Bollywood’s expanding reach. “I don’t need to tell you that often, when you look at the top 10 films in the United States, there would be a Bollywood film. Those movies play in American theatres. Most Americans go ‘what’s that’, but there is a big audience for it,” he told Hindustan Times.

He added, “And it’s growing every year. Indian films in America have begun to gain broad cultural relevance, starting with RR, that really spread out beyond just those seeking it out.”

The film also stars Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce.