King of Pop Rules Again as Michael Jackson Biopic Hits Ksh126 Billion

Michael Jackson biopic has become one of the highest earning biographical film ever in history earning Ksh 126 billion revenue after only two months since its debut.

The Michael Jackson film has taken over Christopher Nolan Oscar winning Openheimer, which had Ksh 124.5 billion in revenue globally in 2023.

The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Jaafar Jackson as his famous uncle and follows the King of Pop’s journey from performing with the Jackson 5 as a child to his record-breaking 1988 Bad tour.

Michael Jackson’s film also made history during its grand opening weekend in April, earning Ksh 28 billion across the world.

The Film’s Earnings

Since then, it has continued earning through people watching it, averaging more than Ksh129 million in its daily ticket sales and reaching Ksh 47.7 billion domestically.

According to The Wrap, it is now Lionsgate’s third highest earning film in the US, behind only The Hunger Games, Ksh 52.6 billion and its 2013 sequel, Catching Fire.

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Despite the criticism from some of the reviewers and its audiences over its omission of the child sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson, the film has proved to be a major commercial success.

The movie has also reignited interest in Jackson’s music and his life while also omitting most of the myths people had about him.

Michael’s Music

Streaming figures for his catalogue have surged, pushing Thriller to number 7 on the Billboard 200.

Between April 24 and 30, his solo music recorded a career high 137.5 million official on-demand streams in the US, a 146% increase from his previous best, according to Billboard.

Music recorded with the Jackson 5 and later the Jacksons also saw a sharp rise, reaching 10.1 million streams during the same period, up 135% from the previous week.

Industry projections suggest Michael could soon surpass the Ksh129 billion ($1 billion) mark worldwide.

Production

The Jackson estate-backed production faced several hurdles during filming, including some reports that legal restrictions prevented filmmakers from depicting the allegations which were made by Jordan Chandler.

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As a result, the entire third act was reportedly shot again, delaying the movie’s release by close to a year.

The movie also ends with the words, “The Story Continues,” hinting that another section or second part may already be in development or in production.

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Michael Jackson
PHOTO/Forbes