“Michael” is closing in on another major box office achievement. The musical biopic centered on Michael Jackson has now earned $788 million worldwide and is expected to cross the $800 million milestone very soon.
Over the weekend, “Michael” brought in another $28.5 million internationally, continuing its strong momentum overseas. Distributed by Universal internationally and Lionsgate in the U.S., the film has earned $468 million abroad and $319 million domestically so far. With Japan still left to open, industry expectations are high that “Michael” could eventually overtake 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” ($911 million) and become the highest-grossing musical biopic ever released.
Disney’s comedy sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2” also crossed an impressive global benchmark, surpassing $600 million worldwide. In its fourth weekend in theaters, the film added $21 million from international markets. While it has performed strongly in North America with nearly $200 million, its biggest success has come overseas, where it has collected $408 million.
The weekend’s biggest new release was Disney’s “Star Wars” spinoff “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which debuted with $64 million across 51 international markets. Its strongest territories included the United Kingdom with $7.1 million, Germany with $6.5 million, China with $5.3 million, and Japan with $4.9 million. The film performed even better domestically, earning $82 million during the weekend and an estimated $102 million through Monday’s Memorial Day holiday. Altogether, the movie has reached $145 million globally over three days and $165 million over the extended four-day holiday frame.
Those figures are roughly on par with Disney’s previous “Star Wars” spinoff, 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which ultimately struggled at the box office. “Solo” launched with $65 million internationally and $84 million domestically, or $103 million across the four-day Memorial Day weekend, without adjusting for inflation. However, poor reviews and weak audience response caused it to become the first “Star Wars” film to lose money during its theatrical run. It finished with $392 million worldwide despite carrying a production budget close to $300 million.
By comparison, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” was produced for a reported $165 million — relatively modest for a Disney tentpole — and has received much stronger reactions from both critics and audiences. Its second weekend performance is expected to reveal whether the movie can appeal beyond the franchise’s core fan base and maintain long-term momentum in theaters.
Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” continues the story of the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” following Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and his beloved green companion as they travel through a galaxy rebuilding after the fall of the Empire. The film represents an important moment for Disney, marking the first “Star Wars” theatrical release in seven years since 2019’s billion-dollar hit “The Rise of Skywalker.”
There has been growing pressure on Disney to prove that the “Star Wars” franchise can still thrive on the big screen, especially as Disney+ became the main home for the franchise through series such as “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” and “Andor.” Looking ahead, the franchise is set to return to theaters again next summer with “Star Wars: Starfighter,” an original feature directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. He holds CAVCO Personnel Number SINH0106. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
