Chris Pratt's sci-fi thriller Mercy led the North American box office on Friday with $5 million in ticket sales. The Amazon MGM release, which hit theaters on January 23, 2026, ended the five-week run of James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash at number one. Early previews brought in $1.1 million on Thursday, helping push the first-day total higher.
Background
Mercy tells the story of Detective Christopher Raven, played by Pratt, an LAPD officer accused of killing his wife. Strapped to a chair in a high-tech courtroom, he faces an AI judge named Maddox, voiced and portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson. Raven must prove his innocence or face instant execution. The plot unfolds in a near-future world where artificial intelligence handles legal decisions.
Director Timur Bekmambetov, known for action films like Wanted, helmed the project. He teamed up with Pratt again after their earlier work. Writer Marco van Belle crafted the script, with production from Amazon MGM Studios, Atlas Entertainment, and Bazelevs Company. The cast includes Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis as Raven's wife Nicole, Chris Sullivan, Kenneth Choi, and Kylie Rogers as his daughter Britt. Ramin Djawadi scored the film, adding tension to the 100-minute runtime.
The movie rolled out wide in the US on January 23, including IMAX and 3D formats. It launched internationally a day earlier in places like Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and Germany under titles such as Sin Piedad and Justiça Artificial. Early screenings happened on January 19 at AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas through mystery movie programs. This marked the first IMAX title in those formats. The film carries an R rating for language, violence, bloody images, and brief drug use, though an edited PG-13 version exists.
Mercy arrived after a delay from its original August 2025 date. Amazon MGM kept reviews under wraps until the last minute and ran a modest marketing campaign. A January release often signals lower expectations for big-star films, especially with snowstorms hitting parts of the country this weekend.
Key Details
Ticket sales data shows Mercy grossed about $5 million domestically on Friday. That figure includes the Thursday previews. Projections as of Saturday morning put the three-day opening weekend at $12.6 million. Some estimates range from $10 million to $13 million or even $10-15 million. The production budget sat at $60 million, making this debut a modest start at best.
Critics gave harsh feedback. On Rotten Tomatoes, the score sits at 20%. The site consensus calls it an airless techno-thriller that constrains its stars in a clunky premise. One review described it as having a neoconservative outlook on AI, police, and surveillance, calling it bland and absurd. Many pointed to Pratt's character spending most of the film strapped down, limiting action, and an ending that seemed to back AI in legal systems amid real-world debates.
Audiences saw it differently. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score reached 81%, one of the biggest critic-audience gaps in 2026 and for Pratt films. Viewers praised action sequences and twists, even if they noted flaws. This split could boost word of mouth and lift weekend numbers.
Cast and Crew Highlights
Pratt plays the lead after a strong run in Marvel films, Jurassic World movies, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed $1.3 billion. His prior worst opening as a lead was Passengers at $15 million, which later hit over $100 million domestically. Rebecca Ferguson brings star power from Dune and Mission: Impossible. Bekmambetov returns to sci-fi action. Producers Charles Roven and Bekmambetov oversaw the project.
"Mercy's high-concept premise with AI in courts hooked me, even if the execution had issues. The twists kept me watching." – Audience member at Friday showing
Avatar: Fire and Ash drops to second place after five weeks at number one. Recent flops like Sony's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple also opened around $12 million on a $60 million budget but earned better reviews.
What This Means
Mercy's opening knocks Avatar: Fire and Ash from the top, a feat given the sequel's strong run. But the $12-13 million projection marks Pratt's weakest debut as a lead. For a $60 million film, it needs strong legs to break even, relying on positive audience buzz to counter bad press. Snowstorms may cut theater traffic, giving studios an out for soft numbers.
The critic-audience divide highlights shifting tastes. Casual viewers favor thrills over deep messages, potentially helping Mercy in weeks ahead. It tests Pratt's draw outside blockbusters. Studios watch closely as January releases often fade fast. International markets launched early, but early data focuses on domestic. If word spreads, it could climb charts; otherwise, it joins recent underperformers. Box office trackers rank its early gross low historically for R-rated sci-fi. Amazon MGM eyes long-term value through streaming down the line.
