The first two months of 2026 weren’t great for Hollywood films in India. In March, Project Hail Mary emerged as a surprise super-hit. The film is all set to cross the Rs. 80 crore mark, leaving the trade and industry stunned. Last week’s Lee Cronin’s The Mummy has also performed better than expectations and will end up crossing the Rs. 15 crore mark or even the Rs. 20 crore mark in its lifetime.. And now, the upcoming Hollywood film Michael has once again left the industry speechless with its ticket sales.
EXCLUSIVE: Michael springs a surprise in India; 78,000 tickets sold for weekend + previews; healthy opening assured
Michael is all set to release on Friday, April 24, with previews from 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 23. As per the data accessed by Bollywood Hungama, the biopic of Michael Jackson has sold around 78,000 tickets for the weekend + previews. The majority of the tickets have been sold for the Thursday previews and Friday. As of Wednesday morning, Michael has sold tickets worth Rs. 3 crore plus.
Many centres in the North opened bookings only on Tuesday and yet are already strong bookings, especially in the IMAX version. Down South, the film is even better. The popular and prestigious Prasads Cinema in Hyderabad has sold around 7000 tickets.
Hollywood biopics on legendary music personalities haven’t had many takers in India. In recent times, films like Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), Elvis (2022), Bob Marley: One Love (2024) etc. underperformed. But Michael is proving to be an exception, probably as Michael Jackson is arguably the most recognized music personality from the West in India. The trailer has also worked well and hence, a healthy opening was already on the cards. What has surprised the industry is how tickets are being sold like hot cakes in several theatres, proving that there’s tremendous urgency to check out the film.
However, a major challenge remains. The reviews from the West have been mixed. Thankfully, this hasn’t dampened ticket sales. But if the word-of-mouth post-release is not very encouraging, it might affect the collections on Saturday and Sunday. On the other hand, if the aam junta accepts the film, this can prove to be another bumper success from Hollywood in 2026 after Project Hail Mary. Also, a huge opening is guaranteed, thanks to the advance booking.
Screen count
Michael is all set to release in more than 1000 screens. Several theatres are warming up to screening the film after the advance booking. Meanwhile, the team at Universal-Warner Bros is attempting to release the film in as many centres as possible, even in C and D centres. What’s interesting to note is that Michael won’t have a dubbed release and will release only in the English version. Hence, if it manages to release in more than 1,000 screens, it will surpass the 3-year record held by Barbie (2023) and emerge as the biggest release for a Hollywood film in its original English version in India. The Margot Robbie-starrer had released in 868 screens.
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