** Shares of theater chain AMC Entertainment AMC.N rise 5% to $1.03
** Says sci-fi release "Project Hail Mary" delivered AMC's biggest opening weekend of 2026 so far
** AMC's worldwide admissions revenue for the weekend jumped more than 70% from a year earlier; the Amazon MGM film generated $140 million in its global debut, media reports
** Strong turnout for the film, along with other new releases and solid holdovers, drive AMC's second-best weekend of 2026 for U.S. admissions revenue
** Up to last close, stock has fallen 37% this year
(Reporting by Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru)
((Kritika.Lamba@thomsonreuters.com))