“Michael” glided to the top of box office charts with $217 million globally, the biggest opening weekend of all time for any musical biopic.
Those ticket sales include a mighty $120.4 million from 82 international markets, as well as $97 million in North America. Despite the mostly negative reviews from critics, “Michael” has exceeded all box office expectations; heading into the weekend, the film about the rise of Michael Jackson was projected to earn roughly $75 million domestically and $150 million globally.
“Michael” cost nearly $200 million to produce after extensive re-writes to the film’s third act. Lionsgate, Universal (the movie’s international distributor) and the Michael Jackson estate split those expenses. Although it’s one of the most expensive musical biopics of all time, “Michael” is already a blockbuster. Ticket sales are expected to exceed $700 million worldwide by the end of its run.
Previously, 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” held the record for largest worldwide start for a musical biopic with $122 million. That film, about the band Queen, became a massive blockbuster with $910 million by the end of its theatrical run. “Michael” also ranks as the year’s second-biggest global debut, behind Universal’s sequel “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” with $372.5 million.
“Michael” got a jump on the weekend by launching on Wednesday in most foreign markets. Top territories include the United Kingdom and Ireland with $15.6 million, France with $10.1 million, Mexico with $9.7 million, Brazil with $8.2 million and Italy with $8 million. It has yet to open in Japan.
Antoine Fuqua directed “Michael,” which explores the performer’s early days in the Jackson 5 to becoming one of the biggest entertainers on the planet. Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, stars as Michael Jackson in his acting debut, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying parents, Joe and Katherine. Some critics have knocked “Michael” for taking a sanitized look at Jackson’s life; the story ends before the singer had faced allegations of child sexual abuse.
“Audiences like it, but reviews are weak,” says David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe. “Overseas numbers are outstanding so far.”
Elsewhere at the box office, two other films notched major milestones as “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” cleared the $800 million mark and “Project Hail Mary” crossed $600 million worldwide.
“Mario” added a notable $36.6 million from 83 foreign markets in its fourth weekend of release, boosting the overseas tally to $444 million and global total to $831 million. Meanwhile “Project Hail Mary,” a space epic starring Ryan Gosling, collected a stellar $12.2 million in its sixth frame, bringing its tally to $308 million internationally and $613.3 million worldwide.
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