Overview
- The Michael Jackson biopic led worldwide box offices over the weekend with $217 million, including $97 million in North America, setting a new opening record for a biographical film.
- Critics panned the movie, with about 38% on Rotten Tomatoes and roughly 39/100 on Metacritic, yet audiences graded it A- in CinemaScore exit polls.
- Director Antoine Fuqua’s film, starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, ends in 1988 after producers said a legal agreement tied to Jordan Chandler barred dramatizing later allegations, prompting rewrites, costly reshoots reported near $50 million, and a budget near $200 million.
- Paris Jackson criticized the portrayal as inauthentic and said her input was ignored, highlighting a public rift within the family even as the movie draws large crowds.
- Lionsgate executives say at least one more film is planned, with the Jackson Estate co-financing alongside Lionsgate and Universal, underscoring a broader push to build franchise value around music legends.