Director Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic Michael has collected over Rs 19 crore at the Indian box office in its opening weekend. Globally, the box office numbers are far more impressive. The film, based on the life of Michael Jackson and starring the late King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role, has grossed over $217 million worldwide in its first weekend.
Beats Project Hail Mary on Day 1 in India
In India, Michael surpassed the first-day gross of Ryan Gosling’s sci-fi film, Project Hail Mary, which stood at Rs 2.70 crore. Michael, in comparison, saw a Day 1 gross collection of Rs 6.48 crore, per Sacnilk. The gap between Michael and Project Hail Mary is evident in the performance within national cinema chains (PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis), the report added. The Michael Jackson biopic sold approximately 45,000 tickets for its opening day in these chains.
The domestic opening of the film in North America and Canada was $97 million, Box Office Mojo reported.
Tops Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody in India
In India, Michael has so far collected Rs 19.89 crore gross total till Day 3, as reported by Sacnilk. Notably, boosted by over 1.10 lakh ticket sales for its opening weekend through advance bookings, the film performed better than genre predecessors like Elvis Presley’s biopic, Elvis, and Bohemian Rhapsody, which was based on the life of Freddie Mercury.
Fourth-highest all-time advance booking
The Jaafar Jackson-starrer now ranks as the fourth-highest Hollywood film in terms of all-time advance sales in India, trailing only the massive trio of Avengers: Endgame, Oppenheimer and Barbie.
Earlier this year, Project Hail Mary had reportedly shifted its release date to avoid a clash with the domestic giant Dhurandhar 2. Michael’s ability to pull ahead by nearly 40 per cent in the premium urban centres compared to the sci-fi hit highlights the popularity of the film and its subject.
About the film
Michael, follows the life of the King of Pop as he grows from a gifted child star in the Jackson family’s pop band, Jackson 5, into a global icon who redefined pop music forever.
The film aims to provide a nuanced look at Jackson’s journey, showcasing the magic of his stage performances alongside the personal challenges he faced behind the scenes.
Apart from Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson, the film also features Miles Teller as attorney John Branca, Colman Domingo as patriarch Joe Jackson, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson. The cast also includes Laura Harrier, Kendrick Sampson, and Juliano Krue Valdi, who portrays a young Michael.
Michael was theatrically released on April 24.
