Lionsgate's Michael Tops $1 Billion Globally, Marking Studio's First Box-Office Milestone
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 12
Lionsgate's Michael Tops $1 Billion Globally, Marking Studio's First Box-Office Milestone
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 12
Summary
$1 billion in global ticket sales pushed “Michael” past a first-ever box-office milestone for Lionsgate over the weekend, according to Rentrak.
The $150 million Michael Jackson biopic was a bet bigger studios avoided because of long-running child-molestation allegations against Jackson; Universal and Kino Films handled overseas distribution.
That breakthrough followed another surprise hit: “The Housemaid” cost $35 million and has grossed $400.5 million, giving Lionsgate two new theatrical franchises and prompting sequel plans for both films.
The rebound is striking for a studio that released 17 films in 2024 for just $251 million in domestic sales, down 85% from its 2012 peak, when takeover talk had intensified.
Lionsgate now heads into a fuller slate that includes a new “Hunger Games,” more “John Wick” films, and revivals of “Blair Witch” and “Saw,” strengthening its case for staying independent.