May has been a truly impressive month for movies. Millions are flocking to their local theaters to catch the tantalizing line-up of films currently on the big screen, with this weekend a perfect showcase of what is on offer. Not only is Pedro Pascal‘s bounty hunter heading to theaters in The Mandalorian and Grogu, but the likes of Mortal Kombat II, the horror gem Obsession, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt‘s The Devil Wears Prada 2, Ryan Gosling‘s sci-fi masterpiece Project Hail Mary, and more will continue their impressive runs so far.
One movie that has stood taller than most and even topped the domestic charts last weekend is Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic, Michael, documenting the early-mid career of the iconic King of Pop, Michael Jackson. After four weekends in theaters, Michael has already accumulated an eye-watering $715 million worldwide, split between a domestic haul of $291 million and a further $422 million from overseas markets. After debuting at #1 in the ranks, Michael dropped to second and then third in its next two weeks, before capitalizing on a poor second showing for Mortal Kombat II and winning back its crown.
Given the huge success of the musical biopic, many have wondered if a sequel is on the cards, especially considering just how much of the performer’s life is left to tell. In a recent statement from Lionsgate film chief, Adam Fogelson, a second installment was confirmed to be in development. “We are really excited about the progress we’re making with respect to a second ‘Michael’ film,” Fogelson said, adding, “All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well.”
What Can Fans Expect From the ‘Michael’ Sequel?
As a major point of contention for critics, Michael avoided many of the biggest controversies in the life of the King of Pop in the first installment. It has been reported that legal issues caused $15 million worth of reshoots, as accuser Jordan Chandler had to be wiped from the story. However, the second half of Jackson’s life was imbued with controversy, including his untimely death, and it would seem any sequel script would find this unavoidable. So what can fans expect from the Michael sequel? Fogelson added in his previous statement:
“I would say that there is a ton of incredibly entertaining Michael Jackson story, and much of the biggest and most popular parts of his music catalog that were not touched upon in the first film. There are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie that weren’t touched upon, so we’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together.”
Michael is currently available to watch in theaters.
via Collider