Michael Jackson biopic tops North America box office with $123m debut
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Jaafar Jackson (centre) as Michael Jackson and KeiLyn Durrel Jones (behind) as Jackson's bodyguard Bill Bray in Michael.
PHOTO: UIP
LOS ANGELES – Michael, the much-anticipated biopic about late American superstar Michael Jackson, debuted atop the North American box office over the weekend with a thriller-ing US$97 million (S$123.6 million), industry estimates showed on April 26.
The film, directed by American film-maker Antoine Fuqua and distributed by Lionsgate, chronicles the legendary artiste’s rise from child star to one of the world’s most famous pop icons.
In the starring role is Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew.
“This is a record-shattering opening for a musical biography,” said analyst David Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
The film has strong audience approval, “playing as a feel-good, nostalgic appreciation”, he added, but “reviews are weak”.
“Most critics feel the film is superficial and avoids the complicated parts of the performer’s life, including allegations of sexual misbehaviour,” he said, while noting a Part 2 is in the works.
With the film already released in Europe, it has globally taken in nearly US$220 million, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.
In second place at the US and Canadian box office was The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, grossing another US$21.2 million.
After spending the last three weeks in the top spot, the animated sequel from Universal and Illumination has hauled in more than US$775 million at the global box office, Exhibitor Relations reported.
Third place went to Amazon MGM’s hit sci-fi adventure comedy Project Hail Mary, with US$13.2 million.
The film, which stars Canadian actor Ryan Gosling as a teacher-turned-astronaut who must save Earth from a dimming sun, has earned nearly US$600 million worldwide in an extended theatrical run.
In fourth place with US$5.6 million was Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, an original horror flick from Warner Bros. about a young girl possessed by a demon in an ancient mummification ritual.
Fifth place went to The Drama, A24’s romantic comedy with a dark twist starring American actress Zendaya and English actor Robert Pattinson about a couple unravelling just before their wedding. The film took in an extra US$2.6 million for a global box-office haul of US$80 million.
Rounding out the top 10 are Hoppers (US$1.9 million), You, Me & Tuscany (US$1.5 million), Over Your Dead Body (US$1.4 million), I Swear (US$640,000) and Normal (US$625,000). AFP
