Lionsgate/Universal’s “Michael” has retaken the top spot at the box office and remains on course to break the all-time biopic record as it crosses $700 million in global grosses.
It seemed after Mother’s Day like Disney/20th Century’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” might combine with the upcoming “The Mandalorian & Grogu” to give Disney the No. 1 spot on every weekend this May.
But as “Michael” held firmer in weekday grosses, it became clear that the King of Pop’s global fanbase is still showing up for Antoine Fuqua’s biopic after four weekends of theatrical play, as the film added $26 million this weekend with the help of 1,100 Imax and premium format screens, some of which “Michael” didn’t have the previous two weekends as they exclusively went to “Prada.”
The film’s totals now stand at $282.8 million domestic and $703.9 million worldwide. Even with most if not all PLF support going to “Mandalorian” for Memorial Day weekend, “Michael” should get another holiday boost that will bring it closer and closer to passing the $975 million biopic record held by “Oppenheimer” and becoming the first $1 billion-grossing biopic in box office history.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” took a much steeper 57% drop in its third weekend, but Disney and 20th Century still have a lot to smile about as the film added $18 million domestic and $68 million worldwide to bring its total to $175 million domestic and $546 million worldwide. The film is set to pass $600 million worldwide by Memorial Day, having already exceeded the global totals of the Marvel Studios releases “Thunderbolts*,” “Captain America: Brave New World” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Just behind “Prada 2” is the standout newcomer of the weekend: Focus Features’ “Obsession,” a vicious and disturbing debut feature horror film from director Curry Barker that got rave reviews from critics and audiences at TIFF and has kept that going into its wide release this weekend with a $16.1 million opening.
“Obsession” had a reported budget of just $1 million and was acquired by Focus out of Toronto at a reported $15 million price tag. Standing with a rare-for-horror A- on CinemaScore and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film has everything it needs to be a strong return on investment for Focus as it carries this excellent word-of-mouth into Memorial Day weekend.
With audience demographics of 59% male and 75% 18-35, the strong turnout for “Obsession” likely played a factor in the 66% second weekend drop for Warner Bros./New Line’s “Mortal Kombat II,” which grossed $13.4 million this weekend and now stands at $62.2 million domestic and $101.2 million worldwide.
With such a steep drop and “Mandalorian” coming next weekend, “MK II” may finish with a final domestic total in the vicinity of the $84 million made by fellow Warner release “Wuthering Heights” this past February. This would mean that Warner Bros. won’t have a $100 million-plus grosser in the U.S. and Canada until likely the release of “Supergirl” in late June.
Also facing an uphill climb to break-even territory is Amazon MGM’s “The Sheep Detectives,” though that film had a better second weekend drop of 38% for a $9.3 million total and a $29.6 million domestic total and $58.7 million worldwide as it looks to theatrically recoup its reported $75-80 million production budget.
Farther down the charts, Guy Ritchie’s new action thriller “In the Grey” grossed $3 million from 2,018 locations. Starring Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film was distributed by Black Bear and earned a B on CinemaScore with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 44% critics and 83% audience.
Finally, Amazon MGM released the revenge drama “Is God Is” with a targeted release of 1,510 locations, earning $2.2 million this weekend. Directed by Aleshia Harris and adapted from her own off-Broadway play, the film has received rave reviews with a 97% critics and 89% audience Rotten Tomatoes score.
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