Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary, which was released in India on March 26, initially struggled to secure IMAX screens in the country as most premium slots were occupied by Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
The film's India release had already been pushed from March 20 due to the massive craze surrounding Dhurandhar 2. As theatres prioritised the blockbuster, Gosling's sci-fi film was left with little to no IMAX availability. Fans who were eager to watch the film in IMAX expressed their disappointment on social media.
When IMAX India VP Preetham Daniel posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Project Hail Mary was filmed for IMAX and should ideally be watched in that format, many users flooded the comments section to point out that the film had no IMAX shows in India. Some even claimed that their IMAX bookings had been cancelled.
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Following the backlash, Daniel later announced that the film had secured IMAX shows in India. Sharing a screenshot from BookMyShow showing IMAX screenings in Mumbai, he wrote, 'Let's Go.' According to a report by Hindustan Times, the film has now been allotted around 60 IMAX shows after strong fan demand.
While moviegoers in Mumbai welcomed the update, fans in other cities also began asking about IMAX availability. Viewers in Bengaluru questioned when the film would arrive in their city, while others asked about shows in the Delhi-NCR region. However, a check on BookMyShow later showed that IMAX screenings had been listed in both locations.
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PVR Cinemas also confirmed the addition of more IMAX shows on Thursday evening. In a social media post, the multiplex chain wrote, 'The wait is over - IMAX bookings for Project Hail Mary are now open! Experience a breathtaking voyage through space and humanity's fight for survival.'
Despite the new shows, some viewers continued to raise concerns about scheduling. One user wrote, '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.'
Another user complained about the timings, saying, 'I can't tell you how badly PVR has scheduled IMAX shows for Project Hail Mary. It's all either early morning or late night.'
Earlier, when fans first raised the issue in the comments section of Daniel's post, he had asked users to share the locations where IMAX shows were unavailable. On Thursday, only 13 IMAX shows were scheduled across India's 34 IMAX theatres. However, by Friday, tickets for over 60 shows went on sale, much to the relief of fans.
About Project Hail Mary
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Project Hail Mary is based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir. The story follows Ryland Grace, played by Gosling, who wakes up alone aboard a spacecraft with no memory, only to realise he is on a mission that could determine the fate of humanity.
Author : Arfa Javaid</