**"Michael," the biopic from Lionsgate about the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has emerged as a cinematic sensation, with a staggering $97 million in domestic box office earnings and $217 million globally in its opening weekend. These numbers not only make it the highest-grossing biopic debut of all time, surpassing "Straight Outta Compton" ($60 million) from 2015 but also eclipse the global success of "Bohemian Rhapsody," which opened to $51 million and eventually amassed $910 million.
The film's performance is even more impressive when compared to other major releases this year, as it ranks as the second-biggest debut behind only "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" ($131 million) from April. Despite mixed reviews (only 38% positive on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences embraced "Michael" with an "A-" grade on CinemaScore exit polls. According to PostTrak, ticket buyers were predominantly female (61%) and older (66% were 25 or older).
Lionsgate's motion picture chair, Adam Fogelson, explains, "You don't achieve these numbers without impressive turnout across all demographics. They're clearly having a blast, and that bodes well for a lovely multiple."
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, "Michael" chronicles the singer's early days in the Jackson 5 to his rise as one of the biggest entertainers in the world. In his acting debut, Jaafar Jackson, the singer's nephew, portrays Michael Jackson alongside Colman Domingo and Nia Long as his parents, Joe and Katherine.
Despite complaints from some critics that the film takes a sanitized view of Jackson's life by omitting child sexual abuse allegations later in his career, the movie has already proven to be worth its hefty $200 million budget. It's Lionsgate's biggest hit in over a decade since "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2" ($102 million). If ticket sales surpass $700 million worldwide, as expected, "Michael" will join Lionsgate's top-grossing films of all time.
Movie theater owners are finally feeling optimistic, thanks to a string of hits like "Project Hail Mary" and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." With new releases like "The Devil Wears Prada 2" and "Mortal Kombat 2" coming up next weekend, it seems audiences are ready for more compelling stories on the big screen. As Michael O’Leary, head of the exhibition industry’s trade organization Cinema United, notes, "Building on the momentum of global hits like 'Project Hail Mary' and 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' 'Michael' is proving yet again that audiences show up for compelling stories on the big screen."
