‘Michael’ Climbs Back to No. 1, New Horror Movie Shocks Box Office

“Michael” is back on top at the domestic box office. The Michael Jackson biopic earned $26 million during its fourth weekend in theaters and once again claimed the No. 1 spot, according to box office reports.

The film continued to outperform several newer releases, including “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Mortal Kombat II,” and fresh releases like Focus Features’ horror movie “Obsession,” Amazon MGM’s revenge thriller “Is God Is,” and Black Bear’s action film “In the Grey.”

So far, “Michael” has made $283 million in North America and $703.8 million worldwide. The movie has already become the highest-grossing musical biopic ever in North America, passing 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which earned $216 million domestically. Globally, “Bohemian Rhapsody” still leads with $911 million, though industry analysts believe “Michael” could eventually pass that total as well.

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” landed in second place with $18 million in its third weekend. The sequel has now earned $546.2 million globally, including $175.9 million from North America and another $370 million overseas.

Among the weekend’s new releases, “Obsession” had the strongest debut. The horror thriller opened in third place with $16 million from 2,615 theaters. Directed by YouTube creator and first-time filmmaker Curry Barker, the movie follows a man who makes a dangerous Faustian deal to win over the woman he loves. The film received strong reactions from both audiences and critics, earning an “A-” CinemaScore and a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

David A. Gross, who runs the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, commented on the film’s success, saying, “Another weekend, another well-made, low-budget horror film over-performing at the box office.”

Meanwhile, Guy Ritchie’s latest film “In the Grey” struggled during its opening weekend. The action movie, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill, and Eiza González, debuted in ninth place with only $3 million from 2,018 theaters. Reviews were mixed, with the film holding a 46% score on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving a “B” CinemaScore from audiences.

Gross said the opening was disappointing for the director, explaining, “This start is well below average for [Ritchie]. Ritchie’s films often do well overseas with their British source material and characters, but we don’t see particularly strong foreign business here.”

Another new release, “Is God Is,” opened in 10th place with $2.2 million from 1,510 theaters. Directed by Aleshea Harris and based on her 2018 play, the revenge story stars Kara Young and Mallori Johnson as sisters searching for justice. The movie received strong reviews, including a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score and a “B+” CinemaScore.

Elsewhere at the box office, “Mortal Kombat” dropped to fourth place in its second weekend with $13.4 million. That marks a steep 65% drop from its debut. The video game sequel has now earned $62.2 million domestically and $101 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget.

“Sheep Detective” rounded out the top five with $9.3 million in its second weekend. The mystery film has now grossed $29.6 million in North America and $58.7 million globally.

Paramount’s concert movie “Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)” also saw a major decline. The film earned just $800,000 in its second weekend after dropping 88% from its opening. So far, it has made $9.2 million domestically and $25 million worldwide.

According to Comscore, the overall box office is currently running 16% ahead of last year. Theater owners and studios are now looking ahead to Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which is expected to launch the summer movie season over Memorial Day weekend.

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