Universal has launched the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, in 82 markets, racking up $18.5 million on its opening day—this includes previews from Tuesday. Excluding those previews, the film made $16.6 million just on Wednesday.
The movie is set to hit additional markets like China, India, Bolivia, and Pakistan within the next few days, showcasing its appeal across 23,230 locations on more than 50,500 screens worldwide.
The best early performances came from France and the UK, where the film grossed $2.6 million in each country on its debut day. In France, Michael achieved the biggest opening day for a biopic, surpassing the previous records set by Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody. It claimed 41% of the day’s cinema admissions.
In the UK and Ireland, the film also celebrated the largest opening day ever for a musical biopic, outpacing hits like Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis. It accounted for a remarkable 71% of the total market on Wednesday.
Italy contributed $1.3 million from 480 locations, giving Michael a dominant 72% share of the market. This success is particularly noteworthy as it surpassed the opening day of Bohemian Rhapsody and set a new standard for musical biopics.
In Mexico, the film added $1.1 million during previews, bringing its total so far to $1.6 million with a strong 64% market share. Spain also showed robust numbers, earning $1.1 million from 520 screens.
Germany, where Jackson had a strong presence during his career, saw Michael rake in $1 million from 849 screens, making it the biggest opening day for a musical biopic in that market as well.
Australia reported $1 million from 290 locations, marking the largest opening day for a musical biopic there, edging out Elvis. Even in Brazil, Michael demonstrated impressive numbers, with a total of $651,000 on its opening day along with previews of $2 million, the highest for a non-superhero, non-franchise film in that region.
Looking ahead, presales in the United States for Michael are projected to outperform other upcoming releases like Project Hail Mary. Early estimates predict a worldwide opening of around $150 million, with $65 million to $70 million expected from domestic markets. This figure would set a new record for musical biopics, previously held by Straight Outta Compton.
Overall, Michael is making waves, not only for its impressive opening figures but also for the conversation around its portrayal of Jackson’s life and career. As audiences respond, the film’s impact seems poised to reach beyond just box office numbers, sparking discussions about its representation of the King of Pop.
For more details on the film, check out the coverage from trusted sources like Deadline and Variety.
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