Lionsgate‘s Michael is bound to be a chart-topping hit when it opens on April 24. Three-week tracking today indicates an opening between $55M-$60M, besting the previous box office record for a musical biopic set by the 2018 Freddie Mercury and Queen movie Bohemian Rhapsody, which bowed to $51M.
Advance tickets sales at this point in time, which includes presales for early-access fan screenings on Wednesday, April 22, point to a thriller 3-day start that’s north of $50M. Even with big movies on tracking, such as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary, which can impact long-term tracking on new titles, Michael still looks great. Exhibitors already have seen the movie, and the reaction has been very positive on what has been a challenging production for the film produced by the Jackson estate.
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The feature starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop and directed by Antoine Fuqua is strong across all demos and diverse groups, though slightly more pronounced in first choice with men and women over 25. Overall, first choice for the MJ biopic is well ahead of Project Hail Mary, Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, Sinners and Oppenheimer at the same point when they hit tracking.
Michael begins to moonwalk on April 10 with the world premiere in Berlin at the Uber Eats Music Hall at Uber Square. There is a full four-floor Michael experience with memorabilia from the movie as well as Jackson’s career. Saturday night, April 11, will see a “Get on the Dance Floor – The Michael Jackson Party.” Universal is releasing the biopic overseas, Lionsgate has domestic.
Graham King produced Michael, which was scripted by John Logan.
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