Recommendations of the Editorial team
Despite all the controversy surrounding its release, “Michael” is well on its way to breaking the opening week box office record for a music biopic.
According to Lionsgate, the film’s distributor, the Michael Jackson biopic is heading for a domestic box office of between $90 and $100 million in its first week – boosted by $12 million from pre-weekend previews alone and around $39.5 million on opening day, Friday.
Even if “Michael” only hits the lower end of predictions, the film will easily overtake “Straight Outta Compton” as the most successful music biopic opening of all time.
Lionsgate celebrates success
“This record-breaking achievement is a testament to the extraordinary filmmaking team of producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, a magnificent cast led by Jaafar Jackson’s unique performance, our world-class partners at Universal, the cooperation and support of the Michael Jackson estate, and our tireless and exceptionally talented Lionsgate team,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson said in a statement. “Above all, it reflects the overwhelming outpouring of affection and enthusiasm from moviegoers worldwide and underscores the strength and vitality of cinema. If you give audiences what they want, they will come.”
Worldwide, “Michael” is heading for around $200 million in box office revenue in its opening weekend. According to “Billboard,” this would already catapult the film into the top five of the most successful music biopics of all time – and the Jackson biopic is likely to overtake both “Straight Outta Compton” (third place with a total of $201 million) and “Elvis” (second place with $288 million) in the coming days.
However, “Michael” still has a long way to go to dethrone “Bohemian Rhapsody” as the most-watched music biopic of all time: The Queen film grossed $910 million worldwide during its theatrical run and also earned lead actor Rami Malek an Oscar for best actor.
Review of “Leaving Neverland”
“With this film, many young people will clearly rediscover Michael Jackson – and they will probably leave the theater with the image that he was a very talented artist who was kind to children. That is a mockery of the truth,” “Leaving Neverland” director Dan Reed told Rolling Stone at the film’s release.
“Young people know the stereotype of the movie star or pop star whose private life is disreputable. They’re neither stupid nor naive. But it’s a testament to the power of the estate and its influence in Hollywood – because there’s this reality distortion field where it says, ‘It’s Michael fucking Jackson. What are you talking about? Not a word about child abuse. Screw it. It’s Michael fucking Jackson.’ This is pure money. Pure influence. Pure fucking Hollywood fame. And you look at these people and think, ‘Don’t you have a spark… Do you have kids? Have you ever met children?’”
