'Michael' sets music biopic record with $217.4 million debut weekend
The new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, just set a new record for music biopics by earning $217.4 million worldwide in its debut weekend, way ahead of Straight Outta Compton's old record.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as MJ, the film takes us from Jackson's childhood in Gary, Indiana to his rise with the Jackson 5 and legendary albums like Thriller.
Critics pan 'Michael,' sequel teased
While audiences showed up in big numbers, critics weren't all impressed: News18 Showsha called the movie a "masterclass in sugar-coated, sanitized, shallow biopics" and "bland and even shallow," giving it just two stars.
Interestingly, the film ends with "The story continues...," hinting that a sequel could dig deeper into the more complex parts of MJ's life and legacy.