Michael Jackson Biopic Aims for Musical Opening Record
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- Lionsgate projects $90‑$100 million domestic gross and $200 million worldwide in the opening week, with $39.5 million on Friday alone.
- Jaafar Jackson leads the cast, delivering a performance that Lionsgate credits as a driver of the box‑office surge.
- Billboard reports the $200 million opening would rank Michael among the top five highest‑grossing musical biopics, overtaking Straight Outta Compton.
- Dan Reed condemns the film as a “pure money” venture that ignores abuse allegations, framing its success as a Hollywood distortion.
Why it matters: Lionsgate and the Michael Jackson Estate stand to pocket up to $200 million from the opening week, while Dan Reed’s critique warns the film’s commercial triumph will eclipse scrutiny of the star’s abuse legacy, reshaping public perception.
