Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” had a big night last night — $4.1 million for its second Friday. It finished fourth on Friday night, ahead of Cameron Diaz in “The Box.” Not bad. For the weekend, “This Is It” should wind up with $7.2 million U.S. That will bring it to a total — with worldwide counted in– between $126 million and $130 million. Jackson moon walks away with easily the highest-grossing documentary and/or concert film in history. A total of $250 million through Thanksgiving weekend isn’t an unreasonable expectation now. That’s exactly what Sony and AEG hoped for. It was just the miscalculations of some blogs that got the message mixed up.
But what about that Cameron Diaz movie? “The Box” is a bust. Of course, she’s now filming “Knight and Day” with Tom Cruise, but it just sounds awful. And Cruise is a boxoffice question mark after all his negative Scientology publicity, today’s news about his odd parenting, and the performances of his last two movies, “Valkyrie” and “Lions for Lambs.” Diaz is not exactly in a sure-thing situation. She’s a lot of fun, and has made some kooky movies, but she could be headed into Meg Ryan territory of uncertainty. What Diaz needs is a hit show on HBO or Showtime, a comedy series that goes to her strong suit.
Meantime, as far as documentaries go, Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story,” is just about dead with less than $14 million in ticket sales. It’s too bad — this was an excellent film, maybe Moore’s best and most mature work. It’s a huge money loser for which Overture — sources say — paid about $30 million. Overture is doing much better with “Law Abiding Citizen,” a straight ahead genre flick with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler, a movie most of us won’t see til it hits cable or airplanes. But “LAC” is making money, and that’s what counts.
Still, the most puzzling of this fall’s releases is Focus Feature’s Coen Brothers film “A Serious Man.” Just about dead 35 days in at $5 million. This is a film I have a great affection for. There are terrific performances by Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, and Fred Melamed. But just as I predicted, something got lost in translation here. Like other recent Focus releases, “A Serious Man” has a serious marketing problem. The result is that Focus, as usual, punts. They make good movies but can’t find a breakout hit. They’ve got not one $100 million movie in a group composed of “Brokeback Mountain,” “Atonement,” “Burn After Reading,” and even “Coraline.” “A Serious Man” should have been the hot indie go-to movie of the fall of 2009.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
As of nov 5th, the movie had already grossed 144M$ world wide
Jackson film crosses $100 million internationally
Reuters November 7, 2009, 6:13 am Send
November 6, 2009, 9:58 pmLOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Michael Jackson concert film “This Is It” has crossed the $100 million mark at international box offices as it enters its second weekend in theaters, the studio behind the movie said on Friday.
The film has grossed $144 million worldwide, including $44 million from the United States and Canada.
That is more than double the tally of receipts for 2008’s blockbuster concert film “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds,” a movie some box office watchers had used as a benchmark for “This Is It.”
Outside of North America, the biggest theatrical markets through Thursday night were: Japan with $18.2 million, Britain with $11.1 million and Germany with $8.9 million.
“This Is It,” distributed by Sony Corp-owned Columbia Pictures, was produced from footage of Jackson rehearsing for a series of comeback concerts in London in the final weeks before his June 25 death from an overdose of powerful medication.
The movie opened on October 28 and originally was planned to play for just two weeks, but Sony extended the film’s run. The film is now slated to run until early December in the United States and Canada.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Steve Gorman)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment…nternationally/
November 7th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
This is it surpassed Miley Cyrus’ record for a concert film within DAYS of its release. It still hasn’t gotten the credit its due. I think the Nikki Finkes of the blogosphere come up with their opinion and write crap to fit it. Even if THIS IS IT doesn’t hit $250 million, it matters very little. The investors made their money, the fans got to see MJ and NO ONE is able to deny that he was still a major entertainment force. Heck, half of the media is using him for clickbait to generate revenue as I type.
November 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I have not seen the movie yet, but I plan to go see it Tuesday of next week. At first I thought I couldn’t handle it, it would be to sad. Now I feel I must see it. I want to see what MJ was working on before he lefted us. If I feel sadness as I watch the movie, well so be it, I feel sadness every time I think of MJ no longer being here. I had heard talk of “This Is It” maybe being nominated for the Oscars. Is that true? One more thing, do any of the money from this movie go to MJ’s estate?
November 7th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Seriously, how far up Sony’s ass are you? Weren’t they predicting $250 million within X amount of days — NOT weeks? Also, IF they were predicting 250 million by Thanksgiving, yet claim it was only gonna be open for 2 weeks but are extended “by demand” THAT SIMPLY DOES NOT COMPUTE. Someone is lying & you’re certainly playing a part in that. It’s really disgusting & so transparent. HAHAHAHA HACK
November 7th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
the fact that the movie is making money is killing some people.
good!!!
November 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
The Michael Jackson concert film “This Is It” has crossed the $100 million mark at international box offices.
The film has grossed $144 million worldwide, including $44 million from the United States and Canada.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
mj is the man rip mj
November 7th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I just got a call from my 10 year old nephew asking me if he can go with me Tuesday to see “This Is It”? Since Michael’s passing he has become a fan. He has even learned to moonwalk. Michael has the number one album, a movie which has gross over 100 million worldwide. WOW!!!!!
November 7th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
This is truly a testament to MJ’s genius and it creates a whole new generation of fans. That’s terrific for his legacy!
About The Box, it seems like a movie that should have gone straight to DVD.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Everyone I know has seen This Is It more than once. Repeat business should keep the box office strong through Thanksgiving.
BTW The Box is a jaw-droppingly preposterous movie that is also tremendously entertaining. It should be marketed as the comedy it is – I haven’t laughed so hard at a movie in years.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Darton: Even I have learned to moonwalk, and I could probably be a Mom ord Grandma of most people on this board! And now I get why MJ didn’t do it in the movie: it’s darn hard on the knees. He saved it for the actual performance.
You’ll be sad watching the movie, but not crying, because in whatever shape MJ was (and he was scary skinny and not really happy), you still can’t take your eyes off of him. His star quality never left him. He hated the way he looked, but he should have known that the audience that loved him didn’t care what he looked like, they just kept loving him. And he could still both sing and dance.
What you want to do after having seen the movie is jumping in there, feed him and make AEG cancel 40 concerts. He died – or made himself vulnerable to people wanting him dead, what do I know – because he felt trapped. Had he had peace of mind, he would have loved being on stage again, where he still belonged. But now he was clearly torn.
November 8th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Hi axon – Remember the end of They Don’t Really Care About Us? Kenny Ortega is calling the blackout, and just at the moment when the number was to end on stage, MJ breaks into a heartbreaking little smile of contentment. This is the footage shot the night before he died. I believe he did have peace of mind, because he was back in his element.
November 8th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Simba: I missed that smile, maybe because Ortega said: “Hold for applause – hold for applause – hold for applause – fadeout”, and it broke my heart because there were no applause and the fadeout was final.
Have to go look again. (Wasn’t that shot on the 23rd, btw?)
November 8th, 2009 at 4:47 am
Roger,
Your numbers are totally wrong.
“This is It” made 144 million until thursday, 5, then probably it will do around 200 million until this sunday.
And if a movie made 4,1 million friday, it will do much more than 7,2 million for the weekend (in general, a movie makes for the weekend at least 3 times what it makes friday). The actual prediction is more than 13 million for USA and Canada this weekend.
November 8th, 2009 at 6:12 am
This is such great news,now Michael’s children will know just how much their father was still loved.
A.Darton,I read on numerous sites that after Sony and AEG get their money,80-90% is supposed to go to the estate.
November 8th, 2009 at 6:24 am
This is tremendous news! I saw it this weekend and was blown away by how well he moved and sang, it was really great. Barb you are right I believe 90% of it will go to a trust for his kids so they will be getting most of the money here becuase after all this was not only for his fans but it was for his kids too!
November 8th, 2009 at 6:36 am
It really is a great movie. I have loved Michael over 25 or thirty years and I found it truly uplifting and inspiring, not sad. I have seen it twice already and would like to go again and have been telling everyone I know to go see it. It’s also great for kids, I brought mine and so did many others when I saw it and they all loved it. All the artists, musicians and dancers in the movie treat each other with such love and respect and work so cooperatively together, they set an example for us all.
November 8th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Anna: It’s true about how they work together in the movie. Those in leading capacities are all old in the game, they now that without politeness it just won’t work, and it’s a major production.
Practically the only part in this film where MJ shows some kind of dissatisfaction, is when he can’t get a musician to understand what he means by saying that “The way you make me feel” should “simmer”. Hey, I could have interpreted that! I know what he meant.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:09 am
@axon The only real part that MJ was not happy with was having to wear in-ears. He DID NOT want to wear them. Word from inside the camp is that they made him for O2…he wanted regular monitors. They gave him no choice. I can relate to feeling like you are being punched in the ear by those things after a lifetime of standing in front of a monitor.
Mike was on point and en pointe!
November 8th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
THIS IS IT is an amazing movie actually everything MJ did was amazing. if u dont believe me u have 2 watch Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker and Captain EO and The Wiz they r amazing. Michael Jackson is my idol i fell in love with him when i was six and im 17 now. he’s everything that i aspire to be. Micahel Jackson will live on forever and he will forever be the KING OF POP. so chris brown can stop tryin MJ would never hurt anyone like he did. MJ actually cares unlike most celebrities who only do it for good pr (like miley cyrus). Michael Jackson is the one true entertainer and artist ever. for those of u that don’t know every artist today has copied him in some way.REST IN PEACE MICHAEL JACKSON. you are truely missed and loved. p.s. im his wife in heaven. MJ is #1
November 8th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
4got 2 mention i cried during the movie i also laughed but mainly cried because this was it he’s never going 2 do anything else and he was planning a new cd before he died. i cried im going to go see the movie again if my ma will let me. REST IN PEACE MICHAEL i love you
November 8th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
the movie was handled so well, not like a concert but a glimpse into the creative process in which MJ still had control of. I wept at the end when he sang Man In The Mirror, it was so ironic and heartbreaking. It made me envy anyone who got the chance to work with him, he was such a gentleman and a genius. Even though all of the music was old it still seemed new and as vibrant as ever. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him when he was on the screen, I thought he looked gorgeous, and I completely understand his desire to be so thin, it totally worked with the way he danced. I’m telling everyone to go see it just for the sake of it being an incredible peek into the rehearsal process which is always fascinating.
November 8th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Loved every second of this movie…not surprised at how well its doing at the box office…and the extension of the release is great news…i know some people who wanted to see it, who didnt think they were going to have a chance..excellent film!
November 9th, 2009 at 9:47 am
I saw this on Sat. night and was blown away. I never got to see Michael in concert and am sorry I didn’t. He was skinny, sure, but performed like a man of 25, not 50. (I don’t know how he did it but wow.) I did see the smile. I think he was happy and it made me sad that he was taken so soon. His kids will get to see what a truly great performer and showman he was. RIP Michael.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Saw it three times, twice in IMAX the only way to get the full effect of this film. I loved it each time, I could see it again. He gives you sooo much in this film. I felt blessed, I felt I received a wonderful gift each time. RIP MJ, thanks for leaving us this is it!
November 26th, 2009 at 1:04 am
MJ is the best and that is all i have to say.. and Clearly “This is it” is disturbing some people because “Evan Chandler” (the father of the boy from 1993 molestation case) killed himself… Evan saw this is it and he ended up putting a gun to his head.. I guess Evan chandler could not deal with the guilt considering how he lied about the whole thing involving Michael Jackson… Evan was receiving death threats from MJ fans all over the world and since MJ’S passing they have really been threatening over a million letters in counting.. MJ is the best it is sad that he died but MJ was 100% innocent and i wish he was still here BTW is saw this is it and it SO amazing you have to see it!
Rip Michael! We love you so much and you i will NEVER be forgotten!