Just days before its big-screen debut on January 23, 2026, Timur Bekmambetov’s sci-fi thriller Mercy appeared to have all the right ingredients for theatrical success: a bankable Hollywood star like Chris Pratt leading an intriguing, high-concept story centered on one of today’s most relevant topics: Artificial Intelligence. The film opened to $10.8 million in North America and currently holds an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, an underwhelming 24% RT critics’ score, coupled with the massive winter storm in January that forced more than 400 theaters to close, may have affected its momentum.
As a result, Mercy has underperformed relative to early expectations. Approaching the one-month mark in theaters, the AI-centric thriller earned $0.6 million in North America over the February 13-15 weekend, followed by another $0.2 million from Monday through Thursday. Its domestic total now stands at $24.2 million. With an additional $29.3 million from international markets, the film’s worldwide tally has reached $53.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo data.
Mercy – Box Office Summary
- North America: $24.2 million
- International: $29.3 million
- Worldwide: $53.5 million
The key question now is: relative to its production budget, how much is Mercy’s deficit below its estimated box office break-even point? Let’s break down the numbers.
Mercy – Budget, Break-Even & Deficit (Estimated)
Made on a reported production budget of $60 million (excluding marketing costs), Mercy needed to earn around $150 million worldwide to break even at the box office, based on the commonly cited 2.5x multiplier rule. However, with its current global haul standing at $53.5 million, the film remains roughly $96.5 million short of that benchmark. In percentage terms, the film has recovered about 36% of its estimated break-even target, indicating a significant gap that remains to be closed.
While some late-run gains are still possible, given its present momentum at the advanced stage of its theatrical run, and competition from newer releases like GOAT, Wuthering Heights, and Send Help, fully overcoming the deficit during the remaining theatrical window appears virtually impossible at this point. Now, the Chris Pratt-led sci-fi thriller may have to rely on post-theatrical revenue streams to compensate for the deficit.
Mercy Plot
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the sci-fi thriller is set in the near future and follows a detective (Chris Pratt), who is accused of killing his wife. He is forced to stand trial before an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson). With only 90 minutes to prove his innocence, he must challenge the machine he once championed before it delivers a final verdict.
Mercy – Official Trailer
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