‘Michael’ shimmies back to top of worldwide box office; ‘Obsession’ scares up profitable $23m debut

 Worldwide box office: May 15-17

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

‘Michael’ retakes top spot on fourth weekend

Michael, now in its fourth weekend of play, has returned to the top of the North America, international and worldwide box office, knocking The Devil Wears Prada 2 down into second place.

Released by Lionsgate in North America and Universal internationally, Michael saw box office decline 31% domestically at the weekend and just 14% in holdover markets abroad, yielding an estimated $83.8m worldwide for the weekend. Total after four weekends of play is $703.9m.

The Antoine Fuqua-directed Michael Jackson biopic was boosted by a new opening in a key market – South Korea, with an estimated $4.9m across five days. This is the biggest opening for a US studio film so far this year in the territory.

Among international holdover markets, France topped the table for the weekend, experiencing just a 3% drop, with an estimated $7.8m for the session, and $41.1m to date.

But in cumulative, UK/Ireland retains the international top spot, with $54.6m to date. Michael topped the UK/Ireland box office at the weekend with an estimated $5.7m, and dropping 17%.

Other top international markets are Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Australia and Spain, all with cumulative totals in the $22m to $27.5m range.

It’s that consistency of success, as well as numbers like $10.9m so far in Colombia and $8.1m in Peru that have seen Michael put together its hefty total.

In major markets France, Mexico and Brazil, Michael has already overtaken the lifetime total of Bohemian Rhapsody – likewise produced by Graham King – while in UK/Ireland, Germany, Australia, Italy and Spain, the new film is ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody at the same point of release.

Released in 2018, Bohemian Rhapsody reached $911m worldwide – a total that now looks a realistic target for Michael, although this comparison is not adjusted for inflation.

‘Obsession’ begins with $23m worldwide

Obsession, the latest horror film from a YouTube creator, has opened with an encouraging $23.1m estimate for Focus Features/Universal – $16.1m in North America and $7.0m across 34 international markets.

Given a production budget reported at $750,000 to $1m, this is a stunning outcome for writer-director Curry Barker and the film’s backers. For Focus Features, which swooped on Obsession at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival in a $14-15m deal, the road to profitability is a little rockier, given marketing costs and revenue splits with cinemas – but it’s a promising start.

Among international markets, UK/Ireland leads with and estimated $1.6m for the weekend, including $39,000 in Wednesday previews. The number is 108% up on comparison title Talk To Me – the debut feature from Australia’s Philippou brothers, who likewise honed their craft and built an audience creating YouTube content.

France – one of the few international markets where Universal does not have rights – saw an estimated $1.4m opening for Le Pacte, which is 11% above Talk To Me.

Italy ranks third for international, with an estimated $725,000, which is 16% below the market’s Talk To Me opening number.

Australia opened with an estimated $577,000 for local distributor Rialto. Universal markets Mexico and The Netherlands are tied in fifth with an estimated $458,000 apiece, ahead of Brazil on $419,000.

In July 2023, Talk to Me opened with $14.0m in North America (via A24) and a more-limited 15 international markets, on its way to a worldwide lifetime total of $92.2m.

More recently, January 2026 saw Iron Lung from YouTube creator Mark Fischback aka Markiplier begin with $21.5m from North America and just six international markets, going on to achieve a $50.0m worldwide lifetime total. The skew on that title was heavily towards North America ($40.9m lifetime, against just $9.2m for international). Obsession should do a lot better in foreign markets thanks to Universal’s global muscle.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ closes in on $550m worldwide

Despite slipping down to second place in the box office charts, Disney/20^th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2 enjoyed a strong third weekend of play, and has reached a $546.2m total.

The sequel dropped 56% in North America but only 35% across international markets, and achieved an estimated $68.6m worldwide in its third session. Totals are $175.9m domestically and $370.3m abroad.

Holds were particularly strong at the weekend in Germany (+9%) and France (-16%). In cumulative, UK/Ireland ($36.9m so far) leads international markets, ahead of Italy (a strong $34.5m) and Brazil ($27.0m). Germany, Mexico, Australia, Japan and France are all in the $21-25m range cumulative.

Among other holdover titles, Amazon MGM Studios’ The Sheep Detectives performed well with an estimated $23.3m worldwide in its second weekend of play, yielding a $58.7m cumulative total. The drop in North America was 38%, while in international it was just 16% in holdover markets.

The Sheep Detectives opened in Germany with an estimated $3.5m. The film is based on Munich-born Leonie Swann’s 2005 novel Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story.

In cumulative, UK/Ireland (where the story is set) leads international markets with $7.1m so far.

‘Top Gun’ rereleases deliver $12m

Paramount took advantage of the 40^th anniversary of Top Gun to return the Tom Cruise classic to cinemas, and an estimated opening of $11.6m resulted – $4.8m in North America, and $6.8m across 59 international markets.

The international number includes screenings of Top Gun Maverick, which delivered $2.7m of the $6.8m international total. The two Top Gun films’ box office is being reported as a combined number.

Among international markets, UK/Ireland and Japan lead with an estimated $1.0m, ahead of France ($604,000) and Australia ($450,000).

Top Gun 40^th Anniversary has landed one place higher in the worldwide weekend chart than Black Bear’s In The Grey, directed by Guy Ritchie. The crime thriller – which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill – opened with an estimated $8.2m in North America and 45 international markets. It has yet to release in a number of key territories including UK/Ireland, France, Germany and Spain.

Chinese hit ‘Dear You’ surges with $39m weekend total

Chinese film Dear You has surged from eighth place last weekend in the worldwide box office chart to third place, thanks to an estimated $39.1m in its third weekend of play.

Dear You was released on April 30 in select regions of China to coincide with the country’s Labour Day holiday (May 1) and Golden Week (May 1-5), but faced strong competition from other new titles, and did not make the top five weekend box office chart published by Artisan Gateway.

The May 8-10 weekend saw Dear You expand its release, rising to the top spot in China with takings of $9.2m. Now the film has surged again in its third weekend of play. Total after 18 days is $72.5m according to Comscore and $75.0m per Artisan Gateway.

Directed and co-written by Lan Hongchun, Dear You features dialogue primarily spoken in Teochew Min, a Southern Min language spoken by the Teochew people. The drama uses an epistolary device, telling the story of a young man seeking his grandfather in Thailand, and sending letters home to his grandmother in Shantou, China.

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