Michael Jackson’s ‘Michael’ opens strong with ₦123M at NBO

The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has grossed N123.2 million in its first three days at the Nigerian Box Office (NBO). The development shows a strong audience demand for the film even though it was not screened by Filmhouse group, a leading African cinema. 

According to Monday night data from the NBO, Michael opened with ₦111.6 million and rose to ₦123.2 million over the April 24–26 weekend.

Aside from having a strong performance on the NBO, the film topped the weekend box office chart. 

Other movies on the top 10 chart are The Return of Arinzo with N21.1 million (N311.6 million cumulative), You, Me & Tuscany N17.7 million (N88.1 million), Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: N17.5 million (N47.9 million) and The Super Mario Galaxy: N9.1 million (N1 million). 

Michael’s significant local performance aligns with a global surge in the film’s acceptance, setting a record of delivering one of the biggest debuts ever recorded for a biographical title.

The film generated about $217 million globally during its opening weekend. This includes $97.2 million from the domestic US market and $121.6 million from international markets. 

Historically, Michael has now surpassed previous records in the music biopic genre, outpacing Bohemian Rhapsody to claim the top of the chart for worldwide opening.

The film ranked among the most expensive biopics ever made, due to reshoots in its final stage. However, reports revealed that Michael recouped about 110% of its $200 million production budget within the first 2 days of release. 

Also Read: Michael Jackson’s “Michael” biopic breaks records with $217M global debut. Here’s all you need to know about it.

The Michael Jackson Biopic

The film captures Michael Jackson’s journey from his early days to becoming the most famous entertainer on the planet. Jaafar Jackson, the King of Pop’s real-life nephew, plays his uncle in his acting debut, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying Joe and Katherine Jackson.

A major driver of the film’s large audience is largely because of its concert scenes. The “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Beat It” musical performances have been known to get viewers excited, which the film also exhibited.

While audiences enjoyed the film, there were criticisms that it failed to address the child sexual abuse allegations that plagued Jackson later in his life. Critics felt the film was incomplete, and the omission was due to a lack of courage by the filmmaker.

In response, Lionsgate confirmed plans to spotlight at least one more film about Jackson’s life, suggesting the later chapters of his story will be addressed separately.