Michael worldwide box office collection: The biopic of Michael Jackson has taken a roaring start at the global box office, minting $82 million worldwide on its first day. The film is now projected to make over $200 million in its opening weekend, a record for any live-action film this year and also the best start for any biopic in history.
Michael box office update
Michael, which stars his nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role, released worldwide on Friday with paid previews in some markets on Thursday evening. According to the makers, the film raked in over $13 million from paid previews. Box Office Mojo reported its day 1 earnings in North America at $39 million, the highest ever for any biopic, beating Oppenheimer’s $33 million mark. Overseas, the film has earned $30 million, taking its global haul after the first day to an imposing $82 million.
This is the all-time best start for a biopic at the global box office, besting the launches of Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody, both of which failed to breach the $80-million mark.
According to Deadline, the musical biopic is looking at a weekend haul of $90-95 million at the North American box office, again a potential new record for biopics, beating Oppenheimer ($82 million) and Straight Outta Compton ($61 million).
Universal is reporting potential grosses of $111 million over the weekend across 82 territories (excluding Korea and Japan). This will take the film past $200 million worldwide in just three days, helping the film enter the top 10 highest-grossing films of the year.
Michael remains steady in India
While the domestic collection figures for Michael (from North America) are stupendous, it has done fairly well in India, too, a country where the pop icon enjoyed considerable popularity. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film has grossed over $1.3 million in the country in two days.
All about Michael
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michael also stars Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. The film chronicles Michael Jackson’s journey from Gary, Indiana, to global superstar, featuring his early years with the Jackson 5, his breakthrough album Off The Wall, and his superstardom with Thriller.
The film has received negative reviews from critics, with an approval rating of around 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. That has been accompanied by criticism for ‘whitewashing’ and ‘sanitising’ the singer’s image. But none of that has deterred the fans from lining up at the theatres.