MTV Nabs Rights to Michael Jackson Documentary

The network that introduced millions to Michael Jackson will air his final performance. MTV Networks has acquired the exclusive U.S. television rights to the posthumous documentary "Michael Jackson's This Is It."

Though the film wasn't the blockbuster some anticipated, the concert movie did well at the box office and should prove of high interest to viewers of MTV, whose airing of Jackson's music videos helped boost the singer's career into the stratosphere during the 1980s.

Sister networks such as VH1, BET and Palladia also will have rights to air the film.

"This Is It" was shot from March to June and includes concert rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage as Jackson prepared for his planned comeback stand in London.

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Moonwalks to Top of U.S. Box Office

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" rehearsal documentary has soared to the top of the U.S. box office, taking $21.3 million in its opening weekend.

The film, which follows the Thriller legend as he prepared for his ill-fated London concerts, premiered worldwide on Wednesday.

Within five days This Is It has earned a massive $32.5 million in the states and $101 million worldwide - prompting Sony bosses to extend its run in the U.S. until Thanksgiving weekend, and add showtimes in other territories on a country-by-country basis.

However, its success still falls short of last year's $31.1 million U.S. opening weekend for Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.

This Is It bumped low-budget horror film Paranormal Activity from number one to the second spot, with $16.5 million in earnings; however, moviegoers proved they were seeking a thrill over the Halloween weekend, helping Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler's crime drama Law Abiding Citizen land at number three with $7.3 million in earnings.

Rounding out the top five is Vince Vaughn's comedy Couples Retreat and horror film Saw VI, earning $6.1 million and $5.6 million respectively.

"This Is It" Earns $20 Million on 1st Day

The Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" earned $20.1 million at worldwide box offices on its first day in theaters as fans around the globe turned out in strong numbers, Columbia Pictures said on Thursday.

The movie studio said the film, which shows the late pop star rehearsing for a series of comeback concerts before his death in June, made $7.4 million in the United States and Canada, and another $12.7 million internationally.

"The studio believes that the worldwide launch, with very strong performance across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, represents an amazing beginning for the film and a reaffirmation of the global appeal of Michael Jackson," Columbia Pictures spokesman Steve Elzer said in a statement.

Finding comparable films to "This Is It" is difficult because of the movie's unusual nature as a hybrid documentary and concert film, as well as the fact that its star was not alive to promote it.

Moreover, "This Is It" premiered on Tuesday night and then began playing around the world on Wednesday, which is unusual for a movie that is not based on a major franchise like the "Harry Potter" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

"It's difficult to make comparisons because there is nothing like this," said Paul Dergarabedian, who runs box office tracker Hollywood.com Box Office.

Among concert films, one top performer recently was 2008's "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour." It enjoyed an opening, three-day weekend of $31 million, starting on a Friday, and went on to earn just over $70.6 million globally during its entire run.

Another recent music movie was 2008's "U2 3D," which earned a total of $16.6 million worldwide during its entire release.

Columbia Pictures paid $60 million to distribute the film and millions more to market it. Columbia is a unit of the Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment media group.

INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE

In the United Kingdom, box offices rang up just under $2 million, while French sales totaled about $1.4 million, and Germany just over $1 million. Japanese fans spent roughly $1.2 million, and in China, the movie delivered $730,000.

The question now for Columbia is how well the movie will perform during the upcoming, first weekend. Jackson's fans were expected to turn out in droves early, but whether they will be repeat customers remains to be seen.

Columbia has said the movie will be extended beyond its planned two-week run if ticket demand is high, and it plans a DVD release in 2010.

Jackson died on June 25 in Los Angeles at age 50 after suffering cardiac arrest brought on by a drug overdose only weeks before he was to have begun the "This Is It" concerts in London. The shows had been hyped in the media as his chance to erase the stigma of a 2005 trial in which he was acquitted of child molestation charges.

The nearly two-hour movie features Jackson singing and dancing to his biggest hits, including "Beat It," "Black or White" and "Man in the Mirror." Throughout the film, audiences see him working to create a show that would wow fans.

Reviews of Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Movie

Sony Pictures debuted Michael Jackson’s This Is It in 17 cities around the world Tuesday night.

Movie reviews, for the most part, have been glowing. Here are some of them:

From MTV News:
What “This Is It” offers is something you can get nowhere else: a look at MJ’s last days and the knowledge that as much as he lost, the man was still a genius to the end. As he announced after one song and, as no one could possibly argue otherwise, “We’re sizzling! We’re sizzling!”

From Time magazine:
For a modern entertainer who dies before his time, immortality is measured in residuals — the money from commemorative projects like this. Michael Jackson will have no resurrection — in the end, that was that — but the movie does earn him a redemptive legacy. It proves that, at the end, he was still a thriller. Fans and doubters alike can look at the gentle, driven singer-dancer at the center of this up-close document and say, admiringly: This was him.

From People magazine:
What does come through is that Jackson worked hard, really hard. He looks a tad thin, but otherwise appears healthy and energetic. We see him sweat through difficult dance routines, reach again and again for high notes, and go through complicated production numbers repeatedly until he nails them. He clearly had a vision, and he gently coaxes his musicians and dancers to make it into a reality.

From the Guardian U.K.:
It’s a bit much to claim it’s any kind of viable substitute for the live show, and since Jackson avoids conversation as much as is humanly possible it’s also a bit much to claim we get to know anything more about how he ticks. But This Is It is a testament of a kind, and one that is no disgrace to his memory.

From the Telegraph:
As This Is It progresses, the focus shifts to Jackson’s struggle to stay on top of this hugely demanding show. At times, when he performs Billie Jean and Man in the Mirror, his authority and remarkable stage presence carry the day.

Even Elizabeth Taylor, who attended an early screening last week, Tweeted that This Is It was “the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen.”

"This Is It" is now showing on theatres across the world for the next two weeks!

"This Is It" Shows that Michael Could Still Entertain

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" premiered to a star-filled crowd including Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez and four of the singer's brothers on Tuesday, winning early praise from critics and showing fans that the King of Pop could still entertain.

Culled from 80 hours of videotape taken of Jackson's final days of rehearsals for a series of London concerts planned for July, the film has been called "a story of a master of his craft" by director Kenny Ortega.

Several hundred fans, many of them wearing a single sequined glove like the one the pop star donned in the 1980s, gathered for the Los Angeles premiere and a simultaneous opening in London. Some 150,000, including fans from Brazil and Australia, watched the Los Angeles event live on the Internet.

Premieres were also held in 15 other cities including Seoul, Johannesburg, Rio De Janeiro, and Berlin.

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and Jackson's brothers Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon were among those who paid tribute to Jackson, who died suddenly in June.

Ortega opened the Los Angeles premiere by describing Jackson as "a man who's heart pumped to make this world a better place. Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' is and always has been for the fans."

The movie opens with the singers and dancers Jackson had chosen to be part of the show giving testimonials on how they felt to be working with the superstar, then dives directly into his hit "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".

What follows is nearly two hours of Jackson rehearsing to perform some of his biggest hits for the "This Is It" show. It would have been filled with dances for songs like "Beat It," a new film version of the ghostly "Thriller," rocking tunes like "Black or White" and the moving "Man in the Mirror."

Throughout the film, audiences see Jackson working with his singers and dancers to create a show that would wow his fans, and the premiere audience seemed impressed, cheering at least seven times through the show.

EARLY PRAISE

Claudia Puig, movie critic for USA Today, told Reuters after the film that it "gives you a sense of the show" and is "a window into his still powerful ability to entertain."

The Hollywood Reporter critic Kirk Honeycutt wrote that "with quiet confidence, he clearly was putting together a spectacular concert for the London stage."

Audience member Beau Franklin of Los Angeles said the film was "very moving."

"You get the feeling it isn't over, that there will be more with remixes of his songs and so on," she said.

While Jackson looks skinny, audience members said they saw little about his demeanor or work onstage that would lead them to think he was in ill health during the rehearsals.

Jackson, who grew up as one of Motown legends The Jackson 5 and still has the best-selling album of all-time with 1982's solo effort "Thriller," died suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest at age 50.

Officials have since ruled that his heart stopped due to an overdose of sedatives and the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery. The film does not go into his death, which could result in criminal charges against his doctors.

"It's a privileged path to observe Michael as the creative architect and mastermind behind his work," Ortega told Reuters.

The media had dubbed the shows, 50 of them planned for London's 02 arena, as a "comeback tour" for Jackson, who left the stage in the 2000s after charges of child molestation. In a 2005 trial, he was acquitted of all charges but the negative publicity took him out of the spotlight.

Jackson was said to be as much as $400 million to $500 million in debt when he died, but the value of his assets -- principally his music and his ownership of a song catalog that held rights to old Beatles tunes -- outweighed his debts.

After his death, concert promoter AEG Live, which bankrolled the London concerts, struck a $60 million deal with Sony Corp.'s Columbia Pictures movie studio to use the videos and make the film.

Michael Jackson to Top Charts with 'This Is It'

As Michael Jackson's movie "This Is It" opens in theaters worldwide, the film's companion album of the same name is already doing brisk business.

Industry prognosticators suggest that the Epic Records set, which was released on Monday, October 26th, could shift 300,000 copies by week's end on Sunday, November 1st night, reports Billboard.

Depending on how much the movie's opening impacts the album's sales through the course of the week, the set could post a higher figure – perhaps 350,000 copies.

With numbers like that, it would seem like Jackson will be a sure thing for the No. 1 slot next week on the Billboard 200 albums chart. If the King of Pop hits No. 1, it will mark his sixth chart-topper, following "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous," "HIStory" and "Invincible."

Jackson already owns the No. 1 selling album of the 2009 calendar year with "Number Ones" -- 2 million sold this year and counting. Additionally, his "Thriller" is the year's 11th best-seller (1.1 million) and "The Essential Michael Jackson" is the 15th biggest (986,000).

The "This Is It" album contains 14 studio recordings of Jackson's hits like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" and two versions of the from-the-vaults title track, which plays over the film's end credits. It also includes three demo recordings and a spoken word poem titled "Planet Earth."

Elizabeth Taylor Gives Michael Jackson Film a Standing Ovation

While fans won't be able to see the Michael Jackson's "This Is It" documentary until October 28th, Elizabeth Taylor has watched the film and given it two thumbs up, reports Entertainment Tonight.

The late King of Pop's longtime friend, 77, reportedly hosted a private screening of "This Is It" for several Jackson staff members, including his former assistant Miko Brando, at MGM Studios in L.A. last weekend.

Taylor, who attended Jackson's funeral on September 4th, led a standing ovation at the end of the documentary, a source tells Entertainment Tonight.

Michael Jackson’s 'This Is It' Documentary was Never Meant to be Released to the Public

Kenny Ortega is the choreographer behind the 50 planned London shows that Michael Jackson was rehearsing for when he passed away in June. Ortega recently revealed that the "This Is It" documentary was pieced together from private footage of the star rehearsing and was never intended to be released to the public.

He said: “The recordings were made so we could use them, then the tapes were destined for Michael’s private library. They have a real unguarded honesty to them. At first I got so many messages from fans around the world asking to see the shows, asking to see the footage and eventually I realized the journey wasn’t over and we had to do this. It is for the fans and the film will show the development and intentions of the show, and the concert as it moved closer to London.”

High School Musical director Kenny, 59, also claims Michael was getting progressively healthier as he practiced for his mammoth comeback and amazed the performers he had recruited to join him on stage. He added in an interview with BBC Radio 1: “He had dancers less than half his age -- he was 50 years old and still he would have them falling to their knees in amazement of his moves.”

Paul Anka Co-Wrote Jackson Song This Is It

Veteran singer Paul Anka was shocked to hear the posthumously released "This Is It" song by Michael Jackson this week. The 68-year-old former teen heartthrob immediately claimed that he co-wrote the song with Jackson in 1983 under the title I Never Heard.

Anka claims Jackson “stole” the original recordings from his studio back in the 80’s, but did return them after Anka threatened legal action. Unbeknownst to Anka, Jacko apparently made the copy that his family found after his death. The original title "I Never Heard" was placed by Anka with Freestyle singer Safire, who released it in 1991.

After learning of Anka’s claims yesterday, it didn’t take the estate of Jackson long to acknowledge their mistake. In what is being described as the quickest resolution in Hollywood history, they have made Anka a 50% partner in the publishing rights to "This Is It" and he will be compensated accordingly. In a total about-face, he now claims that the snafu “was an honest mistake.”

Sony has declined to comment. Check out Safire's version on video below.

Hear It First!Michael Jackson's "This Is It" - The Single

In 12 days the world will have the pleasure of experiencing the premiere of "This Is It". This documentary captured the behind the scenes rehearsals of Michael Jackson's planned tour that never took place due to his sudden death on June 25th.

As a companion piece to the movie, a new album with music inspired by the film will be releaed on October 27th. Today we have the pleasure of sharing with you the worldwide release of the single, “This Is It”.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

New Michael Jackson Single to Debut Online

"This Is It," the first song from the Michael Jackson music documentary will debut on the late singer's official Web site tonight at midnight, the Associated Press reports.

The song plays during the closing credits of the film, which is scheduled for a two-week limited theatrical release beginning October 28th. The documentary, also called "This Is It," features rehearsal footage from Jackson's planned London concerts.

The new track will feature backing vocals by Michael's brothers, The Jacksons. It will also be featured on a companion two-disc CD set comprising remastered Jackson classics like "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."

The documentary's release comes four months after the pop star's June 25th death in his Los Angeles home.

Sales Hot for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Film

Michael Jackson concert docu "This Is It" is racking up record-breaking presales as fans line up to purchase tickets for advanced screenings of the Sony pic, which bows October 27th.

In Los Angeles, ticketbuyers started camping out Thursday at the Nokia Plaza at L.A. Live to buy tickets for the L.A. screenings, which sold out all 3,000 seats within the first two hours on Sunday.

The L.A. showings are the first engagement at Regal's new L.A. Live Cinemas, where the Jackson film will show on all 14 screens. Pic gets an industry premiere at 6 p.m. October 27th, and the first public showing is at 9 p.m. that night.

Sony said numbers are based on exhibitor figures as well as online ticket services such as Fandango and MovieTickets.com.

"This Is It" accounted for some 80% of all online ticketing in the U.S. within its first 24 hours of sales, dominating presales compared with such upcoming titles as "Avatar" and "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

In London, the pic sold more than 30,000 tickets, said Vue Entertainment's film buying director Stuart Boreman, eclipsing advance buying in the U.K. for films like "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

"I've never seen anything like it in the 25 years I have been film buying," Boreman said. "It's a true phenomenon, and sales show no sign of slowing down."

Japanese theaters recorded more than $1 million in ticket sales within the first 24 hours; sell-outs also occurred in France, Australia, Germany and New Zealand.

Pic chronicles the last three months of Jackson's life, with behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for his sold-out concerts slated for London's O2 Arena.

Kenny Ortega, director of the stage show, also directed the film.

US Pre-Sale: "This Is It " 2 CD Music Collector's Edition with Souvenir Movie Poster

The Limited Edition 2-CD Music set featuring the music that inspired Michael Jackson's "This Is It" including a deluxe 36-page booklet and souvenir movie poster is now available for pre-order.

Disc one features the original album masters of some of Michael's biggest hits arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film. The disc ends with two versions of the never-released "This Is It." This song is featured in the film's closing sequence and includes backing vocals by Michael's brothers, the Jacksons.

Disc two offers previously unreleased versions of some of the artist's classic tracks. This disc also features a touching spoken word poem from Michael Jackson entitled "Planet Earth" that has never been heard before.

The package includes a 36-page, commemorative booklet featuring exclusive photos of Michael from his last rehearsal along with an 11x17 movie poster printed in support of the film launch (unavailable elsewhere).

Click here for more information on The Michael Jackson's This Is It 2 CD Collector's Edition.

Michael Jackson “This Is It” Movie Tickets On Sale

Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” movie hits theaters for two weeks only on October 28, 2009. As a reminder, tickets go on sale this today (Sunday, September 27th) at the http://www.thisisit-movie.com/ website.

The film features never-before-seen footage of Jackson’s rehearsals for his “This Is It” tour. The official movie trailer for the documentary premiered at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

New Michael Jackson Single Out in October

A new Michael Jackson song, "This Is It," will be released as a single on October 12th, Sony Music Entertainment announced Wednesday.

The song -- which features backing vocals by Michael's brothers, the Jacksons -- is part of a two-disc album of music inspired by the upcoming "This Is It" film, which chronicles Jackson's final days rehearsing for his comeback concerts. The pop star died June 25th of a prescription drug overdose.

The "This Is It" double album will be released worldwide on October 26th and in North America on October 27th. Two versions of the new song appear on the set's first disc, which also features original masters of Michael Jackson's hits in the order in which they appear in the movie. The album's second disc features previously unreleased versions of other Jackson hits, as well as a previously unheard spoken word piece, "Planet Earth."

Sony Pictures' "This Is It" film hits theaters on October 28th for a two-week run.

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" to Get Mass Worldwide Premiere

The Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" -- based on footage from concert rehearsals before his death in June -- will have simultaneous premieres in more than 15 cities around the world next month, the studio behind the film said on Monday.

"This Is It" opens to the general public on October 28th for a limited two-week run. While Hollywood movies often have several premieres around the world, they rarely happen at the same time.

But for "This Is It," more than 15 cities, including New York, Rio de Janeiro, London, Berlin and Seoul will host simultaneously premieres with a red carpet event in Los Angeles on October 27th, said Sony Pictures, which paid $60 million for rights to the rehearsal footage. Names of the other premiere-night cities were not released.

The opening events will feature satellite transmissions of Hollywood stars arriving at the premiere in Los Angeles. London's premiere will happen after midnight local time on October 28th, while Seoul's event is scheduled for the morning of that day.

In all, more than 25 cities worldwide will have premieres for the movie but not all will take place at the same time.

In the days before he died of an overdose of prescription drugs on June 25th, Jackson was rehearsing for a comeback with 50 sold-out shows in London.

The $60 million movie deal was made between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live and Sony Pictures.

Based on proceeds from the movie, business deals and album sales that have arisen since Jackson's death, administrators of his estate expect to generate more than $200 million in revenue before the end of the year.

Michael Jackson's "This Is It" Trailer

The movie trailer to Michael Jackson's "This Is It" documentary premiered last night during the MTV Video Music Awards and we have it here for your enjoyment.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

New Details on Michael Jackson's "This Is It"

The official movie poster for the Michael Jackson documentary film 'This Is It' has been released. The film is slated for a limited run in theaters beginning Halloween weekend. Currently, word is that it will be out in theaters for 2 weeks - chances are, that run will be extended.

It is expected that ticket's for this special engagement will sell quickly, so don't procrastinate and purchase them when they go on pre-sell. If you miss the theatrical release, don't worry. it will be coming to DVD by the end of the year.

Website http://www.thatgrapejuice.com/ uncovered even more details about the film, check it out:

- Trailers are mostly done, and we're waiting partly on the footage from the funeral which is being added in now. Expect to see the first ad premiere next weekend.

- The movie is not a 2 hour concert like many fans thought. In fact the movie is simply a documentary based around the "This Is It" tour. It shows Jackson in his final days and includes his death, aftermath, and reaction. Clips from the memorial and funeral will be used.

- There will be some footage of Michael performing, much longer then the 3-4 minute snippet released at the end of June by AEG. You will see Michael in his dressing room, mingling and directing, plus one scene where he talks to the camera. Basically, it will show Jackson in his final months alive.

- The movie is between 100 and 130 minutes in length.

- The plan is to have the DVD version released in late November by Thanksgiving or early December at the latest, although some sources revealed this may be a long shot if they extend the 2 week showing to 3 or 4 weeks (which is possible).

- The DVD will contain the theatrical version in its whole plus over 2 hours of Jackson performing, warming up his vocals, singing, and in full costume. The most spectacular footage is by far from the Staples Center in LA which will "blow fans away". This extra footage will be a special feature on the DVD along with many other treats that fans will love.

- Finally, the CD soundtrack will be released after the movie, most likely sometime in November to coincide with the DVD launch and will include a new song Jackson recorded in his last 2 years alive. Apparently the song is "Off the Hook" and is currently being worked on by producers who are putting the finishing touches on it and is being considered to be issued as a single all around the world.

This is a great way to remember such a legendary person!