The Michael Jackson biopic «Michael» opened strongly in North America, earning $97 million in its debut weekend and setting a new record for music biopics, according to The Associated Press.
Internationally, the film grossed $120.4 million, bringing its global opening to $217.4 million. Distributed domestically by Lionsgate, with Universal handling most overseas markets, the film exceeded earlier projections, which ranged from $50 million to $70 million. Moreover, it significantly outperformed previous genre leaders such as «Straight Outta Compton» and «Bohemian Rhapsody.»
The production, backed by the Jackson estate, portrays the life of the pop star and stars his nephew, Jaafar Jackson. However, the film faced challenges during development. After filming was completed, producers discovered that the film’s third act violated the terms of a prior legal settlement involving Jordan Chandler. As a result, significant portions were removed, and costly reshoots — reportedly up to $50 million — were carried out. The film was ultimately reworked to end in 1988, before any allegations surfaced.
Despite criticism for avoiding controversial aspects of Jackson’s life, the film performed well with audiences, earning an «A-» CinemaScore, though it received a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
