Key Takeaways
Total 3-Day Weekend Gross:
$151,628,809 | +50.4% Last Week / +3.3% Weekend 17, 2025
The Michael Jackson biopic Michael super-charged the box office with our first year-over-year uptick in weeks, taking up two-thirds of the overall box office after several frames of holdover domination. Super Mario Galaxy and Project Hail Mary continue to buttress theaters before the May blockbusters start to pour in.
- Top Title: Michael (Lionsgate) | $97M / 3955 Screens / $24,526 PSA | Week 1
- Top Opener: Michael (Lionsgate) | $97M / 3955 Screens / $24,526 PSA | Week 1
- Best PSA: Michael (Lionsgate) | $97M / 3955 Screens / $24,526 PSA | Week 1
1. Michael
Lionsgate | New
$97M 3-Day Opening Weekend | $217.36M Global Total
Lionsgate’s musical biopic Michael took the box office by storm, taking in an estimated $97M from 3,955 screens for a $24,526 Per Screen Average, including 1,700 PLFs. An estimated $13.8M came from 427 IMAX locations alone. This is well above both industry tracking and our own forecasting panel’s high-end prediction, making it not only the biggest music biopic opening (beating Straight Outta Compton‘s $60M) but the biggest biopic opening period, outpacing Oppenheimer‘s $82.45M bow. Critics gave the film 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences favored it with a 97% audience score and an “A-” CinemaScore.
According to PostTrak, the audience was 61% Female with 66% in the 25+ age bracket. Here’s how the 3-Day looked, including $12.6M in Thursday previews (on-par with Project Hail Mary)…
- Friday – $39.9M
- Saturday – $32.5M
- Sunday – $25M
“This record-breaking performance is a testament to the incredible filmmaking team of producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, an amazing cast led by Jaafar Jackson’s singular performance, our world-class partners at Universal, the cooperation and support of the Michael Jackson Estate, and our tireless and exceptionally talented Lionsgate team,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson. “Above all, it reflects the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from moviegoers around the world, underscoring the strength and vitality of the theatrical box office. If you give audiences what they want, they will come.”
“Last week we met at CinemaCon, bolstered by a strong first quarter and the promise of what is to come,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United. “Building on the momentum of global hits like Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, this weekend, Michael is proving yet again that audiences show up for compelling stories on the big screen. Movie fan enthusiasm will continue to grow next weekend when The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits theaters worldwide.”
With Universal handling overseas distribution duties, Michael took in $120.36M across 51,387 screens in 82 markets, for a global total of $217.36M. Top 3 markets were the UK ($15.6M), France ($10.2M), and Mexico ($9.8M).
Other Notable Performances
In its fifth frame, Amazon/MGM’s Project Hail Mary took in $13.2M at #3, bringing it across the coveted $300M line domestically at $305.4M. It also surpassed $600M globally, reaching $613.3M.
Despite a cast including Jason Segel and Samara Weaving, IFC’s dark comedy Over Your Dead Body opened to only $1.49M from 1,550 screens for a $965 PSA at #8. Reviews were middling at 69% RT critical, despite The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone (Popstar, MacGruber) at the helm.
Next Weekend
Two decades ago The Devil Wears Prada was a female-led comedy smash, taking in $124.7M domestic and $326.58M globally. Now 20th Century is bringing back director David Frankel for The Devil Wears Prada 2, starring returning principals Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. The sequel is currently tracking somewhere in the $60M range, more than double the original’s $27.5M debut. Also Angel Studios is releasing director Andy Serkis’ long-gestating animated version of George Orwell’s satirical Animal Farm, which currently has a 36% on RT.
Sunday Studio Estimates | Weekend 17 – 2026
Total 3-Day Domestic Gross: $151,628,809 | (+3.3% vs 2025)
| Title | Distributor Long Name | Wk | Estimated Weekend Gross | Cume | Locs Reported | Avg/Loc |
| Michael | Lionsgate | 1 | $97,000,000 | $97,000,000 | 3955 | $24,526 |
| The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Universal | 4 | $21,200,000 | $386,493,000 | 3732 | $5,681 |
| Project Hail Mary | Amazon MGM Studios | 6 | $13,208,000 | $305,431,000 | 3510 | $3,763 |
| Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Warner Bros. | 2 | $5,630,000 | $23,452,000 | 3304 | $1,704 |
| The Drama | A24 | 4 | $2,648,084 | $44,803,603 | 1982 | $1,336 |
| Hoppers | Disney | 8 | $1,900,000 | $164,156,679 | 2000 | $950 |
| You, Me & Tuscany | Universal | 3 | $1,500,000 | $17,632,000 | 2115 | $709 |
| Over Your Dead Body | IFC Films | 1 | $1,425,000 | $1,425,000 | 1550 | $919 |
| Mother Mary | A24 | 2 | $1,253,486 | $1,486,034 | 1103 | $1,136 |
| American Youngboy | Independent Films | 1 | $1,194,781 | $1,843,538 | 583 | $2,049 |
| Fuze | Roadside Attractions | 1 | $1,018,477 | $1,018,477 | 1164 | $875 |
| Normal | Magnolia Pictures | 2 | $700,000 | $4,227,303 | 1780 | $393 |
| I Swear | Sony Pictures Classics | 1 | $698,138 | $698,138 | 701 | $996 |
| Desert Warrior | Vertical | 1 | $472,111 | $472,111 | 1010 | $467 |
| A Great Awakening | Roadside Attractions | 4 | $402,989 | $7,550,461 | 673 | $599 |
| The Christophers | Neon Rated | 3 | $332,850 | $1,393,839 | 295 | $1,128 |
| Exit 8 | Neon Rated | 3 | $260,063 | $3,522,406 | 250 | $1,040 |
| Fight Club (4K Remaster) | 20th Century Studios | 1 | $219,000 | $804,789 | 700 | $313 |
| Busboys | Independent Films | 2 | $147,166 | $147,166 | N/A | |
| Reminders of Him | Universal | 7 | $120,000 | $48,474,000 | 281 | $427 |
| Lorne | Focus Features | 2 | $70,000 | $426,000 | 248 | $282 |
| Scream 7 | Paramount | 9 | $67,000 | $121,919,000 | 149 | $450 |
| Ready or Not 2: Here I Come | Searchlight | 6 | $59,000 | $22,894,172 | 200 | $295 |
| Blue Heron | Janus Films | 2 | $52,300 | $77,386 | 7 | $7,471 |
| The Stranger | Music Box Films | 4 | $25,050 | $207,170 | 25 | $1,002 |
| Omaha | Greenwich Entertainment | 1 | $13,500 | $13,500 | 1 | $13,500 |
| Mad Bills to Pay: (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) | Oscilloscope Pictures | 2 | $7,830 | $37,729 | 2 | $3,915 |
| Natchez | Oscilloscope Pictures | 13 | $2,961 | $195,248 | 2 | $1,480 |
| John Lilly And The Earth Coincidence Control Office | Oscilloscope Pictures | 5 | $1,022 | $19,546 | 4 | $256 |
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