Michael Shatters Biopic Box Office Records with $217 Million Opening
Looks like the King of Pop is back in a big way! The latest biopic, simply titled “Michael,” has rocked the box office by raking in a stunning $217 million worldwide during its opening weekend. This impressive figure has officially made it the highest-grossing debut for a biopic, leaving the previous record holder, “Oppenheimer,” in the dust with its $174 million opening last year.
Breaking it down, “Michael” pulled in around $97 million from North American theaters, with a whopping $120.365 million coming from international audiences. Interestingly, it now stands as the second-highest global debut of the year, only trailing behind the wildly popular “Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”
Despite its $200 million production budget—part of which went to additional shooting for the third act—the film is on track to turn a profit given its explosive start. It’s worth noting that the film has faced some backlash over accusations of “whitewashing,” and it wraps up in 1988 during the famous Bad tour, leaving out the controversial child abuse allegations against Jackson. Recently, Colman Domingo, who plays Joe Jackson, hinted that a sequel could potentially address these serious topics.
Critically, “Michael” hasn’t fared too well with reviewers, scoring low ratings. However, audiences seem to disagree, as it holds an impressive 4.8 out of 5 from fans on Rotten Tomatoes. IGN wasn’t as generous, giving it a mere 3 out of 10, stating, “Michael does the impossible: It makes the King of Pop boring.” Ouch!
On the other hand, the “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” continues its strong run, adding another $36.7 million internationally over the weekend after launching in Japan. Its international tally now sits at around $444.961 million, just shy of its predecessor’s figures at the same point. Globally, it has reached an astounding $831.474 million, with a realistic shot at crossing the $1 billion mark.
Lastly, “Project Hail Mary” is also holding its ground, earning another $12.2 million this weekend, even as it enters its sixth week in theaters. The film got a boost after Amazon announced it would be returning to IMAX. The co-director, Christopher Miller, confirmed recently that it won’t be hitting streaming platforms anytime soon, with the film now totaling $613.3 million globally. What a time for cinema!