The Michael Jackson movie `This Is It` will be the number one movie in the United States this week, despite coming in below expectations for tickets sales at the box office.
‘This Is It’ grossed $7.45 million on the first day at the box office and should finish the week with around $38 million of ticket sales putting it ahead of ‘Paranormal Activity’.The weekend box office is expected to be around $21.5 million.
The Jackson film is screening on 3,481 screens across America but is only scheduled for a limited two week run.
Sony Pictures, the distributor of the film, have the rights to continue to screen the movie through to February if they choose. A release date for the DVD version of ‘This Is It’ is yet to be announced.
Originally the film was planned for a release on DVD in early December but Sony Pictures is sticking to their option of a three-month window between theatrical release and DVD release.
That could change. The fear is that if the fans knew there would be a DVD out just weeks after the theatre release they would be less likely to see it at the cinema.
The expected release date is now late January or early February. The DVD will contain bonus footage not seen in the movie.
