Mixed Emotions on 'Michael' (Possibly) Crossing $1 Billion Worldwide

For reasons that verge on happenstance, Japan is often the last major marketplace for many a global tentpole release. However, it's rarely in a position to play the role of game-changer or kingmaker. And that's somewhat true here as well, as it's not like Michael needs a best-case-scenario performance in Japan to cement its status as a top-tier worldwide blockbuster. The Jafar Jackson-starring King of Pop biopic will cross $360 million in North America either today or tomorrow, with a current $912 million-and-counting worldwide cume (mostly courtesy of Universal, which is distributing in most international markets) just pushed it past Bohemian Rhapsody's $911 million unadjusted global lifetime totals. The only question concerning Japan, where it opened with $2.3 million on Friday, is whether it hits hard enough there to push the picture past $1 billion worldwide. I frankly hope it does not. Not because I care that the film wasn't terribly well-reviewed or that it's a weird example of an expensive would-be tentpole being forced to be more conventionally commercial by matter of legal decree or any other reason specific to the film of the filmmakers. No, I just think the industry and the media culture surrounding it can only benefit from more movies that can be considered sky-high success stories without crossing the once-fabled, now-expected $1 billion global benchmark. Source: https://scottmendelson.substack.com/p/mixed-emotions-on-michael-possibly