*The box office dominance of the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” is reinforcing a growing pattern in Hollywood: commercially successful music films will continue to be made even when critics remain unconvinced.
Despite strong audience demand, the film’s reception remains sharply divided. As ComingSoon reports, “Michael” holds a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics have rated it significantly lower at 39% on the Tomatometer. The contrast highlights a recurring split in music biopics, where viewer enthusiasm often outweighs critical opinion.
That divide becomes more notable when placed alongside other industry examples. “Bohemian Rhapsody” followed a similar trajectory, earning mixed reviews while still achieving major box office success and awards recognition, including an Oscar win for Rami Malek. The pattern suggests that recognizable music catalogs and strong central performances often carry more weight for audiences than deeper narrative exploration.
In contrast, not all music-centered films have managed to connect in the same way. The article points to “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” as an example of a project that struggled commercially, with its more introspective approach and reduced focus on hit performances limiting its broader appeal.
These differences help explain why “Michael” has performed so strongly in theaters. In its fourth weekend, the film once again led both domestic and global charts, earning $26.1 million in the U.S. and $83.8 million worldwide. Its total global gross has now surpassed $700 million, making it the second-highest-grossing music biopic of all time and putting it within reach of the $910 million record held by “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
As the film continues its run, its success is already shaping broader expectations across the industry. Hollywood studios are increasingly leaning toward projects built around well-known artists and established hit catalogs, a formula that has proven more reliable than purely character-driven interpretations.
Future biopics involving major figures such as Madonna, Britney Spears, and Prince have already been discussed or developed in various stages, signaling that the trend is unlikely to slow down.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’ Divides Critics and Fans
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE
Credit: Source link