Michael, the much-anticipated biopic about the late Michael Jackson, has broken records for a music biopic after opening at the top of the North American box office with $97 million (\u20ac81.5 million).<\/p>\n
The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and distributed by Lionsgate, stars Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew, as the pop superstar.<\/p>\n
It follows Jackson\u2019s rise from child star to one of the most famous performers in the world, and has already taken $217.4 million (\u20ac182.6 million) globally.<\/p>\n
The UK and Ireland were the film\u2019s strongest international market, with an opening weekend of $15.6 million (\u20ac13.1 million).<\/p>\n
Click here to read Harry Guerin’s review of Michael.<\/a><\/p>\n Analyst David A Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research described the opening as “record-shattering” for a musical biography.<\/p>\n The film’s North American debut puts it well ahead of other major music biopics, including Straight Outta Compton,<\/a> which opened with $60.2 million (\u20ac50.6 million) in 2015, and Bohemian Rhapsody<\/a>, which launched with $51.1 million (\u20ac42.9 million) in 2018.<\/p>\n Its $217.4 million (\u20ac182.6 million) worldwide opening also means Michael has already passed the entire global run of Straight Outta Compton, while Bohemian Rhapsody remains the music biopic benchmark with a lifetime global box office of $910.8 million.<\/p>\n However, he said reviews for the film were weak, with many critics arguing that it is too superficial and avoids the more complicated parts of Jackson\u2019s life, including allegations of sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n \n Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50, denied allegations of child sexual abuse during his lifetime and was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005.<\/p>\n Gross said the film has strong audience approval and is playing as “a feel-good, nostalgic appreciation”, while also noting that a second part is already in the works.<\/p>\n In second place at the US and Canadian box office was The Super Mario Galaxy Movie<\/a>, which earned another $21.2 million (\u20ac17.8 million).<\/p>\n The animated sequel from Universal and Illumination Studios had spent the previous three weeks in the top spot and has now taken more than $775 million (\u20ac651 million) worldwide.<\/p>\n Third place went to Amazon MGM\u2019s sci-fi adventure comedy Project Hail Mary,<\/a> starring Ryan Gosling, with $13.2 million (\u20ac11.1 million).<\/p>\n The film, about a teacher-turned-astronaut who must save Earth from a dimming sun, has earned almost $600 million (\u20ac504 million) worldwide.<\/p>\n