‘Michael’ is moonwalking into theaters with serious box office heat, and early numbers have people in Hollywood paying attention.
The Michael Jackson biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, is currently tracking for a $55 million to $60 million domestic debut when it opens April 24. If that holds, ‘Michael’ would beat the opening weekend record for a musical biopic, topping the $51 million start of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ back in 2018, as reported by Deadline. That is a big headline on its own. But the chatter around this movie is not just about the number. It is also about whether the hype is getting a little too loud, too soon.
Advance sales, including early-access fan screenings on Wednesday, April 22, are already pointing to a three-day opening north of $50 million. Lionsgate has domestic distribution, while Universal is handling the film overseas. The movie is also getting a major launch push in Berlin beginning April 10, with a world premiere at Uber Eats Music Hall and a full ‘Michael’ fan experience built around movie props and memorabilia from Jackson’s career.
As the release gets closer, Jaafar has also been sharing personal memories of Michael Jackson, adding a more intimate layer to the movie’s rollout. The actor, who plays his uncle in the film, recalled spending family time with him as a child.
‘I remember just growing up, and we would have family time. Michael would come over to where I was growing up … and we’d have some days where we’d all get together, play family game day,’ he said. ‘We’d have wonderful times at Neverland and just playing hide-and-go-seek, getting as much candy, going on rides, watching movies. It was all fun.’
That is the studio push. Online, though, fans have a few more questions.
Fans Are Excited, But Not Fully Sold Yet
A lot of the reaction so far is split between optimism and caution. Some fans think the current projection looks strong, especially for a movie expected to draw older audiences who may not rush to presales.
One commenter wrote, ‘$55M is still very good,’ while adding that walk-up business and overseas turnout could push the film higher. Another pointed to the recent increase in physical promotion, noting that the cast is set to do more media rounds this month. That has fed the idea that the movie could keep building right up until release.
There is also a belief that ‘Michael’ may play more like a long-run performer than a front-loaded event title. One fan said, ‘I doubt this’ll open that huge, but could leg well enough,’ while another guessed a lot of the audience will be 55-plus and more likely to buy tickets closer to opening weekend. One person even shared that their family plans to see it opening weekend but still has not bought tickets yet.
That all sounds promising. Still, not everyone is buying into the bigger numbers floating around online.
The Sequel Talk Has Some People Nervous
Some fans are already pushing back on the talk about a sequel. Many have been side-eyeing the supposedly planned split of the movie into two films.
One Jackson fan bluntly wrote, ‘Lionsgate is probably going to regret splitting this movie into two.’ Another warned, ‘A lot of people will be disappointed when leaving the theatre,’ especially if they are not expecting a story that does not fully wrap up in one sitting. That tension is now part of the movie’s rollout.
Either way, one thing is clear. This movie has everyone’s attention for now.
