Photo Credit: Lionsgate
The Michael Jackson biopic has moonwalked to #1 at the South Korean box office over the weekend, with over 51% of the weekend market share.
Michael easily claimed the top spot at the South Korean box office over the weekend, earning $3.6 million from 470,375 admissions, earning 51.03% of the weekend market share. The film has grossed a cumulative $4.8 million from 647,916 admissions since its debut in the country on May 13.
Meanwhile, the film reclaimed its #1 spot internationally with $57.7 million from 83 foreign markets over the weekend. Overall, Michael, a biopic about the early life and career of Michael Jackson, has generated a staggering $703 million worldwide, with $421 million internationally and $282 million domestically.
With just one major market yet to open in Japan, Michael could still easily eclipse 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody ($911 million) to become the highest-grossing musical biopic in history. It already ranks as the highest-grossing musical biopic in North America, outpacing Bohemian Rhapsody’s $216 million. But Michael is well on its way to securing that top spot on the international stage.
Heading into Memorial Day weekend, Disney’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is anticipated to do gangbusters—and steal some of Michael’s thunder. But the King of Pop is expected to continue to reign supreme, and is still a major draw for moviegoers. Ticket sales in general are 16% ahead of last year, thanks to crowd-pleasers like The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and Project Hail Mary.
“Spirits are rather high given the strength of the year-to-date box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Head of Marketplace Trends at Comscore. “The industry is feeling optimistic for a solid Memorial weekend with the remarkable long-term playability of holdovers, along with The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
However, not all is well on the concert film front, as Paramount’s Billie EIlish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D), dropped significantly to the #13 spot in its second week, despite strong reviews in its opening weekend. It only earned $800,000 from 2,613 theaters over the weekend—a steep 88% decline from its decent $7.5 million start. Ticket sales clocked in at $9.2 million domestically and $25 million globally.
