Jackson's "This Is It" passes $200 million worldwide
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's concert movie "This Is It" has taken more than $200 million at box offices worldwide in the first two weeks of release, the studio behind the movie said on Thursday.
Sony Pictures Entertainment said the movie had grossed $61 million in North America and more than $140 million internationally. Japan ($27.2 million) and the UK ($14.3 million) were particularly strong markets.
The movie is now the 22nd biggest grossing movie worldwide of 2009, according to industry tracker boxofficemojo.com
"This Is It", distributed by Sony Corp-owned Columbia Pictures, was compiled from footage of Jackson rehearsing for a series of planned comeback concerts before his sudden death in June.
Sony paid concert promoters AEG and Jackson's estate about $60 million for the right to make and distribute the movie.
The $200 million plus gross is almost three times more than 2008's "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" -- a movie some box office watchers had used as a benchmark for "This Is It."
The Jackson film opened on October 28 for a planned two week run but has since been extended until early December.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by bob Tourtellotte)
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