PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — This weekend, the King of Pop didn’t just take the top spot; he owned it.
After early projections had “Michael” opening between $ 65 and $75 million, the Michael Jackson biopic blew past expectations. According to Box Office Pro, the film opened to a massive $97 million domestic debut, making it the biggest opening ever for a music biopic and the biggest biopic opening overall.
The film also saw a huge boost from premium formats, including IMAX, helping drive those numbers even higher and proving just how strong audience demand was heading into the weekend.
Sliding into the number two spot is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. After dominating for weeks, the Nintendo hit brought in solid numbers but gave way to Michael’s historic debut.
Rounding out the top three is Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, which continues to hold strong in its fifth weekend and remains one of the year’s biggest original hits.
Jack’s Review: Michael
This week, I saw “Michael,“ and it all starts with the performance.
Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, delivers a performance that goes far beyond a simple impression. There are moments in this movie where it genuinely feels like you are watching real footage of Michael Jackson.
He doesn’t just play him, he embodies him.
The voice, the moves, the mannerisms, it is all there and it is spot on.
Of course, the music delivers. You are getting all the iconic songs, the big performances and some really cool recreations of those legendary music video moments. It hits all the beats you would expect from a musical biopic.
Story-wise, this very much feels like a part one. I found myself wanting a deeper emotional dive into Michael as a person, but it is clear that more is being saved for a sequel, which feels likely given the film’s massive success.
One thing that really stood out was the theater experience. Once the movie gets going, audiences are into it, cheering, reacting and having fun. It gives you a small taste of that Michael Jackson magic that many people never got to experience live.
Overall, Michael is off to a record-breaking start and delivers a strong first chapter.
I’m giving Michael a 7/10. It is not perfect, but the performance alone makes it worth seeing.
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