This Is It Run Extended Run After Huge Opening Weekend
By WENNMonday, November 2, 2009
Movie bosses have extended the planned two-week run of MICHAEL JACKSON’s concert rehearsal movie THIS IS IT after the film pulled in $101 million (£63.1 million) worldwide in just five days.
The pop superstar passed away suddenly in June (09), just weeks before his highly-anticipated stage return in London.
Rehearsal footage for the doomed tour was subsequently purchased by Sony for $60 million (£37.5 million).
And after recouping the investment in less than a week, Sony bosses have announced the film will now remain in U.S. cinemas until the country’s Thanksgiving weekend (begs27Nov09).
According to the studio’s head of distribution, Rory Bruer, extra play time in theatres worldwide be decided on a country-by-country basis, with most territories probably getting one to three-week extensions.
Bruer says, “He’s (Jackson is) just loved everywhere on the planet. It doesn’t matter if it’s Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, South America. Every continent in the world loved him and his music.”
