\u201cMichael\u201d is nearing another major box office milestone. The musical biopic about Michael Jackson has generated $788 million globally and will soon eclipse the $800 million mark.<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, \u201cMichael\u201d added $28.5 million overseas in another strong showing. The crowd-pleaser, distributed by Universal internationally and Lionsgate domestically, has grossed $468 million overseas and $319 million domestically to date. With one significant market \u2014 Japan \u2014 yet to open, \u201cMichael\u201d should eventually surpass 2018\u2019s sensation \u201cBohemian Rhapsody\u201d ($911 million) to stand as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time.<\/p>\n
More from Variety<\/p>\n
Disney\u2019s comedy sequel \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada 2\u201d also surpassed a notable box office benchmark with more than $600 million worldwide. Now in its fourth weekend of release, the fashion-set film collected $21 million overseas. \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada 2\u201d has been big in North America with nearly $200 million to date, but it\u2019s been especially popular at the international box office with $408 million.<\/p>\n
This weekend\u2019s major release was Disney\u2019s \u201cStar Wars\u201d spinoff \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d which opened to $64 million from 51 territories. Top markets were the United Kingdom with $7.1 million, Germany with $6.5 million, China with $5.3 million and Japan with $4.9 million. The big-budget tentpole has been a bigger draw in North America with $82 million over the weekend and an estimated $102 million through Memorial Day on Monday. That brings the global total to\u00a0$145 million over the three days and $165 million over the four-day frame.<\/p>\n
Those ticket sales are roughly even with the studio\u2019s last spinoff attempt, 2018\u2019s \u201cSolo: A Star Wars Story,\u201d which ended in disaster. That movie opened to $65 million overseas as well as $84 million domestically (and $103 million through the four-day Memorial Day holiday), not adjusted for inflation. With lackluster reviews and tepid word-of-mouth, it became the first \u201cStar Wars\u201d movie ever to lose money in its theatrical run, tapping out with $392 million globally against a massive budget of nearly $300 million. \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d meanwhile, cost $165 million to produce (that\u2019s on the leaner side for Disney) and seems to have far better word-of-mouth from critics and audiences. The film\u2019s second weekend at the box office will better indicate whether \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu\u201d is just appealing to fans of the series, or if it\u2019ll be able to stick around in theaters.<\/p>\n
Jon Favreau directed \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d a continuation of the Disney+ series \u201cThe Mandalorian,\u201d which follows Pedro Pascal\u2019s Din Djarin and his adorable green sidekick as they navigate a galaxy that\u2019s recovering from the fall of the evil Empire. It\u2019s an important test for Disney as the first \u201cStar Wars\u201d movie in seven years \u2014 since 2019\u2019s billion-dollar tentpole \u201cThe Rise of Skywalker.\u201d There\u2019s been pressure to prove the space opera series has cinematic potential because Disney+ became the go-to destination for\u00a0all things\u00a0set in a\u00a0galaxy far, far away, with\u00a0shows\u00a0ranging from\u00a0\u201cThe Book of Boba Fett\u201d\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cAhsoka\u201d\u00a0to\u00a0\u201cAndor.\u201d\u00a0The franchise will return to the big screen with next summer\u2019s \u201cStar Wars: Starfighter,\u201d an original adventure directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.<\/p>\n
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