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‘King of Pop’ Biopic Shatters Box Office Competition

The impressive start has already recouped its $200 million price tag.

Michael outperformed all other films in its opening weekend, earning $97 million at the domestic box office and $217 million globally. This impressive start has already recouped its $200 million price tag. The biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, had the biggest debut of any film in that genre this weekend. It’s a record the film achieved despite receiving some of the worst reviews from critics, with a disappointing 38 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, tells the story of the artist’s meteoric rise beginning with the Jackson 5. Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the icon in what critics have described as a sanitized retelling of his life. Its opening weekend was the second highest of the year, behind only The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which made $131 million in its debut. The children’s animated movie took the backseat for the first time, coming in second this weekend after three straight weeks at Number 1. Project Hail Mary still held a strong number three, earning $13.2 million in its sixth weekend.