‘Michael’ Returns to No. 1 as New Horror Movie ‘Obsession’ Surprises Box Office

‘Michael’ has reclaimed the top position at the domestic box office. The biopic about Michael Jackson earned $26 million during its fourth weekend in theaters, once again securing the No. 1 spot, as reported by box office analysts.

The film continues to outperform several new releases, including ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ ‘Mortal Kombat II,’ and new entries like Focus Features’ horror film ‘Obsession,’ Amazon MGM’s revenge thriller ‘Is God Is,’ and Black Bear’s action flick ‘In the Grey.’

To date, ‘Michael’ has grossed $283 million in North America and $703.8 million globally. It has already become the highest-grossing musical biopic in North America, surpassing 2018’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ which earned $216 million domestically. While ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ still leads globally with $911 million, industry experts believe ‘Michael’ could eventually exceed that figure.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ came in second place, earning $18 million in its third weekend, bringing its global total to $546.2 million, with $175.9 million from North America and $370 million from international markets.

Among the new releases, ‘Obsession’ had the strongest debut, opening in third place with $16 million from 2,615 theaters. Directed by YouTube creator and first-time filmmaker Curry Barker, the film follows a man who makes a perilous Faustian deal to win the love of a woman. It has garnered positive feedback from both audiences and critics, achieving an “A-” CinemaScore and a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

David A. Gross, who operates the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, commented on the film’s success, stating, “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, debuting in ninth place with only $3 million from 2,018 theaters. The action movie, featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill, and Eiza González, received mixed reviews, holding a 46% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B” CinemaScore from audiences.

Gross stated that the opening was disappointing for the director, noting, “This start is well below average for [Ritchie]. Ritchie’s films often perform 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 film features Kara Young and Mallori Johnson as sisters seeking justice. It has received positive reviews, including a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score and a “B+” CinemaScore.

In other box office news, ‘Mortal Kombat’ fell to fourth place in its second weekend with $13.4 million, marking a significant 65% drop from its debut. The video game sequel has now grossed $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, bringing its total to $29.6 million in North America and $58.7 million globally.

Paramount’s concert film ‘Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)’ also experienced a major decline, earning just $800,000 in its second weekend after an 88% drop from its opening. So far, it has grossed $9.2 million domestically and $25 million worldwide.

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

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