Audiences Ignore Critics, Boost Box Office

0:00On May 2nd, the Michael Jackson biopic called Michael is holding strong at the box office, even after critics trashed it. Projections show it, pulling in $51 million domestically this second weekend, a 48% drop from opening but still solid. That pushes its 10-day North American total to 180.8 million, with worldwide hitting 413.3 million. Meanwhile, the Super Mario Galaxy movie is the top earner of 2026 so far, and it is facing the same critic hate. Now in its 5th weekend, it is expected to grab 12.1 million domestically for 3rd place, boosting its US haul to 402.6 million. Globally, it is closing in on 900 million. Audiences are all in on both flicks, ignoring the bad press. Michael sits at 38% on Ryan Tomatoes from critics, but 97% fresh from over 10,000 verified fans. Metacritic mirrors that, with 39 from pros and 7.8 from users.

1:03The Mario film tells a similar story, with critics at 59% on Ryan Tomatoes and 37 on Metacritic, while fans give it. 95% and 7.7%. These scores prove viewers are voting with their wallets, carrying that love straight to theaters. Both movies show critics are losing sway when audiences decide what wins big, and with strong legs like this, expect them to keep stacking cash as the summer rolls on. I'm Corey with the story, and you've been listening to entertainment and celebrity news today. AI-powered pop culture coverage.