Michael Jackson's Afterlife Empire Booms with New Biopic

0:00A new Michael Jackson biopic called Michael hits theaters soon, premiering in Berlin this Friday. Lionsgate predicts it could rake in $700 million worldwide at the box office. That's huge. Beating most music movies accept Bohemian Rhapsody's 910 million haul. Even 16 years after his death, the King of Pops brand stays strong, shrugging off those old child's sex abuse allegations. This films just one piece of Jackson's booming afterlife empire, MJ. The musical kicked off on Broadway in 2022, and tours globally, while Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson won has packed Vegas houses. Since 2013, last year, he topped Forbes' list of top earning dead celebs for the 13th time since 2009. On Spotify, his monthly listeners outnumber Beyonce, Post Malone, and even Olivia Rodrigo. Fans and insiders are hyped. One Australian devotee caught the musical twice and said crowds of all ages lose their minds every show.

1:00A former Jackson advisor figures the movie will amp up that loyalty for big commercial wins. PR experts note his business thrives more now, free from the scandals that dogged his life. Back then, moments like dangling his baby over a Berlin hotel balcony in 2002, or talking about kids sleeping over in that 2000, three documentary tanked his image. He got acquitted in his 2005 child molestation trial, face no criminal convictions, though some civil suits linger post-death. The biopic skips those abused claims entirely, supervised by the Jackson family. Experts say Hollywood dodges that now anyway, and dying before me too, helps spare his rep compared to folks like Arkelly. Fans insist his legacy stands firm, no matter the attacks. Business as usual for MJ. That's the story for today. Canada News Today, driven by AI.