Can Chris Pratt’s New AI Thriller Defy the Odds After Dire Box-Office Forecast?

Well, here we go—Chris Pratt has a new sci-fi action-thriller called 'Mercy' dropping in January 2026, and honestly, things aren't looking too hot. If you believe the early numbers and chatter, this could be one of those movies people only remember as 'the one that bombed hard.' Let’s dig in.

What 'Mercy' Is All About

Pratt stars as Detective Chris Raven in a future where justice is handled not by people, but by ultra-smart A.I. Think of it as 'Minority Report,' but the computers are actually running the courtroom. The hook? His character is accused of murdering his wife (played by Annabelle Wallis) and gets just 90 minutes to convince some all-powerful robot judge (that’s Rebecca Ferguson, by the way) that he’s not the killer. It’s got a ticking clock, a sci-fi courtroom, and a pile of big moral questions—or at least it wants to.

The director here is Timur Bekmambetov, the guy who gave us 'Wanted' (he and Pratt have worked together before), and the script comes from Marco van Belle. Besides Pratt and Ferguson, you've got Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis (again), and Chris Sullivan rounding out the cast. Release date is January 23, 2026. Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures are handling it, so distribution isn't the problem.

Spoiler: Early Projections Are Ugly

Apparently, Americans aren't exactly camping out for this one. The pre-sales are so low that 'Mercy' might not even clear $10 million its opening weekend. For a Chris Pratt movie, that's... yikes. The guy’s used to blockbusters.

Early Reactions: More Grim Than Excited

So is the buzz around 'Mercy' all doom and gloom? Mostly, yes. Early reviewers who actually saw the thing had some blunt takes:

• The main complaint is that Pratt is painfully miscast as Chris Raven, and a lot of people are calling this the worst performance of his career.
• The film apparently leans way too hard into 'copaganda'—the idea that it’s uncritically promoting police (or, I guess, A.I. police) in a way that feels dated, awkward, and out-of-touch with, well, reality.
• It’s also being slammed for being dull and visually uninspired, with random side-plots tossed in for no reason.
• On the bright side: Rebecca Ferguson gets decent praise as the A.I. judge, and a few have called the overall story idea creative—even though the execution is messy.

Here’s how one reviewer summed it up:

'To put it simply, this is a movie that's just sending a clear pro-AI message that just reads as "copaganda." Chris Pratt feels miscast, and Rebecca Ferguson gives it her all with a script that...'

That pretty much matches the overall tone. Some called the movie 'horrible' and counted it as evidence Hollywood is totally out of step. One even described it as 'career-low' work for Pratt—ouch.

But Not Everyone Hates It

Not every critic has their pitchfork out. A small handful—very small—are saying they actually enjoyed 'Mercy'. One called it a 'well-crafted 90-minute ride filled with excitement and tension' and compared it to a mash-up of 'Minority Report' and 'The Fugitive.' According to this take, Pratt is giving an 'excellent, dark performance.' That’s a pretty big split, so maybe it’ll be one of those movies that’s just divisive instead of straight-up awful.

Why Did Chris Pratt Even Sign On?

If you’re wondering why Pratt, usually pretty choosy given his bankable status and big franchise resume, hitched his wagon to 'Mercy', here's the deal. During a YouTube interview, he said:

'I got a script sent to me, and I thought it was great. It was a really inventive story, unlike anything I’d read before, which is saying a lot because I read everything, and this just really caught my attention.'

He also really wanted to work with Bekmambetov again, having done 'Wanted' together years ago, and said he 'was dying to get back in the ring with Timy.' So, on paper, the story and the creative reunion sold him.

Final Thought: Will 'Mercy' Flop or Surprise?

Sometimes these movies that get dunked on early end up finding an audience. Sometimes they don’t. If you want to see for yourself whether Chris Pratt’s latest ends up as forgettable January filler or manages to redeem itself, you can catch 'Mercy' in theaters starting January 23, 2026.