After an infamously uneven run over the last couple of years, Lionsgate is ready to rebound. This weekend, the studio released its controversial Michael Jackson biopic, which exceeded already-bullish projections to deliver a record-breaking debut at the box office. Later this year, Lionsgate will also release The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel in the dystopian action franchise.
Michael delivered the studio's biggest debut since The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which was released three years ago. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael survived a highly dramatic production that reportedly saw a major creative overhaul to the third act and conflicts between the filmmakers and Jackson's estate. The film's release has also attracted renewed attention to the longstanding abuse allegations against the King of Pop. The movie has been criticized for omitting this aspect of Jackson's life entirely.