“Project Hail Mary” is the hottest ticket in town, and it’s got the receipts to prove it.

The Ryan Gosling-led film about a middle school science teacher sent to outer space to save humanity is breaking records right and left. “Project Hail Mary” raked in $80.5 million domestically and more than $140 million worldwide during its opening weekend, making the biggest opening ever for Amazon MGM.

The incredible reviews and word of mouth recommendations helped the film, which is based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, outperform high expectations. Currently, the movie has a 95% critic’s rating and 96% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Fans are especially excited that the non-franchise film is heartwarming, family friendly, smart, non-woke, original, and reminiscent of how movies used to be.

Amazon MGM took a real gamble on this one, building physical sets and using a real rock-shaped puppet rather than relying on green screens and CGI to create the look and feel. This all meant spending a reported $248 million, the most on any of the studio’s films to date. But it was worth it and audiences are responding to that authenticity in a big way.

“Project Hail Mary” was the first live-action project in 12 years for directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who were famously fired from the “Star Wars” spinoff “Solo.”

“It did seem like a crazy idea to make a movie with the hunkiest actor of his generation and a rock puppet,” Lord said in a joint interview with Miller. “I guess we’re interested in difficult things.”

Screenwriter Drew Goddard was nominated for an Oscar for his adaptation of Weir’s other sci-fi novel “The Martian” (2015).

Part of “Project Hail Mary” gaining so much traction so quickly comes from social media recommendations, which were going strong all weekend.

“Took the wife and kids to see Project Hail Mary. We all really enjoyed it,” Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh said of the film. “Its greatest achievement is that it’s an actual family movie. Not too babyish for adults and not too grown up for the kids. Reminds me of the PG movies they used to make all the time in the 80s and 90s. Very much a spiritual descendent of ET. Maybe Hollywood will take the hint and start making real family films again.”

A Democrat’s vote to move forward with the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security was considered a surprise, and it garnered some backlash on the Left.

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) voted to allow Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to advance to the final step in the confirmation process to become the next DHS secretary, succeeding Secretary Kristi Noem. Heinrich and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) are the only two Democrats who voted in favor of Mullin, who’s expected to be confirmed later on Monday.

“This is going to surprise some people, but I consider Markwayne Mullin a friend. We have a very honest and constructive working relationship. We have authored legislation together, such as the Tribal Buffalo Management Act, and we crafted the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill together this year. We often disagree and when we do, we work to find whatever common ground we share,” Heinrich said in a statement on Sunday.

“I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a Secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” he said.

The senator said that even though New Mexico is a border state, he has not had “any constructive relationship” with the DHS secretaries during the current and previous Trump administration.

“I want someone who recognizes the necessity of judicial warrants, as he has. I would like a Secretary who I can call and have a constructive conversation with about my state and the unique terrain that exists in the southwest and the proper mix of structure, technology and personnel necessary to effectively secure our border,” the Democrat continued.

In a press release, his office noted that he’s previously called for Noem to be fired, did not vote for her confirmation, and that he wants to see changes made to federal immigration enforcement.

On social media, Heinrich garnered some controversy over his decision to support the Oklahoma Republican.

“Who gives a frog’s fat ass if Sen Heinrich likes Mullin personally? His job is to ensure the nominees in Trump’s administration are qualified. Mullin lacks experience, is combative and impulsive, and will push DHS in a more aggressive, politicized direction,” Shannon Watts, founder emerita of Moms Demand Action, posted to X.

Heinrich has also weighed into multiple Senate races, including endorsing Texas State Rep. James Talarico, Maine veteran Graham Platner, and Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow – and The Daily Wire reached out to each campaign on whether they would also support Mullin’s nomination.

A spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who’s backed by Heinrich in her competitive Senate primary, stated that “no, she would not vote to confirm Mullin.”

As for Fetterman, he had clearly stated his support for Mullin prior to the procedural vote.

“In January, I called on the president to fire Noem—and he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind,” he posted to X last week. “We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS.”

“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security,” he added.

The Department of Homeland Security remains largely unfunded, as Democrats and Republicans are attempting to work out a deal to fund DHS while possibly making federal immigration enforcement changes. However, other agencies within the DHS umbrella, like TSA, have been caught in the crosshairs, leading to hundreds of TSA agents quitting and long lines at major airports nationwide.