Box Office Report: ‘Michael’ Reclaims Top Spot

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After two weeks of trailing, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael has reclaimed the number one spot at the North American box office, earning $26.1 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. The Lionsgate movie remains successful, having accumulated $703.9 million worldwide. It still has distance to cover to surpass the current leader of musical biopics, Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed over $910.8 million globally.

Several newcomers joined the mix this weekend, including the relationship horror film Obsession, Guy Ritchie’s action movie In the Grey, and the revenge story Is God Is. However, holdovers continued to attract the largest audiences. Power dynamics in the box office are expected to shift when Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu releases next weekend.

Disney and 20th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2 took second place in its third week with $18 million, raising its domestic total to $175.9 million and worldwide earnings to $546.2 million. Among the newcomers, Obsession exceeded expectations with an estimated $16.1 million from 2,615 theaters. Written and directed by YouTube breakout Curry Barker, the thriller tells the story of a hopeless romantic who faces surprises when his crush reciprocates his affection. The film received positive reviews with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- on CinemaScore. Barker produced the film on a $750,000 budget, and Focus Features acquired it at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall for around $15 million.

Lisa Bunnell, president of domestic distribution for Focus Features, attributed the success of Obsession to audiences’ interest in fresh and original movie experiences. Word-of-mouth is driving younger audiences to revisit the film with friends. Horror movies rarely achieve A- ratings on CinemaScore; Obsession shares this achievement with a recent hit, Weapons. “I’m expecting a strong holdover,” Bunnell said.

In fourth place, Mortal Kombat II saw a 65% drop in its second weekend, earning $13.4 million in domestic sales. Globally, it has amassed $101.2 million from 80 markets. Amazon MGM Studios had three films in the top ten, including The Sheep Detectives in fifth place, Project Hail Mary in seventh, and Is God Is rounding out the top ten. The Sheep Detectives experienced a slight 33% drop from its debut, with an additional $10.2 million in earnings, totaling $30.5 million. Project Hail Mary, which is now available for home viewing, made another $3.4 million in its ninth week in theaters. Is God Is, adapted from Aleshea Harris’s Obie-winning play about twin sisters on a quest for vengeance, made $2.2 million in its opening weekend and has a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Meanwhile, Black Bear’s release of the action caper In the Grey earned $3 million from 2,018 venues. Starring Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González, the film features a team of elite operatives on an impossible mission. It currently holds a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a B on CinemaScore.

Additionally, numerous high-profile re-releases returned to theaters, including Top Gun, which earned $3.1 million, and Shrek, which brought in $1.3 million. Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Comscore, noted that nostalgia played a significant role in the performance of Prada, Michael, and Top Gun in the top ten. “What’s old is new again, and audiences clearly love it,” he observed.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office: