UPDATE: Confirmed by Deadline, the film cost $200M to produce—easily making it the most expensive music biopic in movie history. Current projections have “Michael” opening to $150M worldwide, though I think it’ll go even higher.
EARLIER: Here’s Puck’s Matt Belloni reporting that “reshoots,” aka Antoine Fuqua’s second version of “Michael,” cost $50M to complete, and that’s on top of the original $150M budget. That means this film cost $200M, as much as a token Marvel tentpole.
Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan were forced to completely rethink “Michael” after a rights dispute involving one of Jackson’s former molestation accusers rendered a large chunk of already-shot material legally unusable. This has led to only half the film being released this coming April (even though “Part One” figures nowhere in the title).
Some good news for Lionsgate: the Jackson estate is picking up that tab for the reshoots—executor John Branca and his team were responsible for overlooking the settlement—and that includes the extra costs for additional footage that could be used in a second M.J. film if this one succeeds. Much of the concert performance sequences for the sequel have already been shot.
Speaking of that second film, it might very well happen. Belloni says tracking has picked up in recent days, and “Michael” is inching towards a $60M domestic debut, although a source inside Lionsgate continues to tell me $80M is more like it. Furthermore, the film is expected to overperform internationally, where Universal is handling the release.
The highest-grossing music biopic of all time is “Bohemian Rhapsody” at $900M+. Surprisingly, in a distant second place is “Elvis” at $288M, which means “Michael” will probably have no problem overtaking it.
Fuqua has devoted the last four years to “Michael” and is expected to spend several more on its sequel, likely in 2027 or 2028. In the meantime, once he wraps promotion and “Michael” hits theaters worldwide, he will begin production in Rome on his Netflix-produced, Denzel Washington–starring Hannibal the Carthaginian.
“Michael,” which has a runtime of 127 minutes—only half of the original four-hour cut—stars Jafaar Jackson as the “King of Pop.” The ensemble includes Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, and Juliano Krue Valdi. The film hits theaters on April 24.