How Michael biopic became Hollywood’s highest opening weekend film without Filmhouse Cinemas

The biographical film Michael has earned more than N300 million at the Nigerian box office in its first 10 days despite lacking access to screens at Filmhouse Cinemas, one of the country’s largest cinema chains.

According to data shared by Shock Africa, revenue split negotiations between Nile Entertainment, the film’s distributor, and Filmhouse Cinemas broke down. As a result, Michael received no showtimes across Filmhouse locations or their IMAX screens. The absence of such a major exhibitor is usually considered damaging for wide releases, but audience demand has carried the film forward.

In February this year, United International Pictures (UIP), a British joint venture of Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, appointed Nile Entertainment as its exclusive theatrical distribution partner for Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures in Anglophone West Africa. This deal, formally held by Silverbird Cinema, gave exclusive distribution rights for films produced and distributed globally by Universal, where Michael falls under.

Michael opened with N112.35 million over its first three-day weekend and collected N181.68 million in its opening seven-day week. By the 10-day mark, its gross stood at N323.89 million. In its second weekend, the film recorded N130.7 million (approximately N130.88 million in detailed figures), showing a 16 percent increase from the first weekend. This growth is unusual for most major releases, which typically see drops in the second weekend. The film has sold 45,756 admissions so far and remains in cinemas.

For context, Michael is outperforming several other titles even with reduced screen access. In comparisons shared by Shock Africa, it surpassed Crime 101, the highest-grossing 2026 Hollywood title in West Africa before Michael’s release. Crime 101 had broader screen availability through FilmOne Entertainment but posted lower figures across key periods.

Michael also opened stronger than Sinners, another notable release. Its 10-day total of N323.89 million exceeded Sinners’ N270.52 million at the same stage, despite Sinners having access to more screens, including Filmhouse venues.

Weekend Performance (May 1–3)

Michael held the number one position for the weekend of May 1 to May 3 with N130.7 million, bringing its cumulative earnings to N323.6 million. The film, which focuses on Michael Jackson’s rise, creative work, and challenges, continues to attract both music fans and general audiences.

In second place, The Devil Wears Prada debuted with N57.3 million, reaching a cumulative N62.2 million. The fashion-industry comedy starring Meryl Streep drew both new viewers and those familiar with the story.

Nollywood titles showed steady results. Efonroye, a historical drama about the 19th-century businesswoman and political figure Efunroye Tinubu, opened in third place with N29.5 million. The film examines her wealth, influence, and role in pre-colonial Yoruba society.

The Return of Arinzo placed fourth. In its fifth weekend, it earned N12.3 million, pushing its total to N333.9 million. The character-driven story about a man returning to his hometown after many years continues to hold audience interest.

Hollywood films occupied the top two spots, while Nollywood releases remained competitive in the mid-table. This weekend’s chart highlights varied audience preferences between big-budget international titles and local stories.

The Filmhouse Factor

Filmhouse Cinemas is a major player in Nigerian exhibition. Many distributors and producers have long viewed its screens as important for maximising revenue on wide releases. Michael’s performance challenges that assumption. While the film likely left some potential earnings behind without Filmhouse venues, strong turnout at other chains such as EbonyLife Cinemas, Silverbird, and Genesis has supported its run. Top locations for Michael include EbonyLife Cinema, Nile Cinema, Silverbird Accra, and Genesis Ceddi.

The situation raises practical questions for the industry. Distributors may negotiate more firmly on revenue splits in the future. Exhibitors will consider how to maintain their position when the audience demand for a title is high. Alternative cinema chains have shown they can absorb significant demand for major releases.

Michael is still playing in cinemas. Industry observers are watching whether it can reach N700 million before the end of its run. Its second-weekend growth suggests sustained interest, but the final total will depend on how it holds in the coming weeks and its performance in additional markets.

Michael has become one of the stronger theatrical releases in Nigeria this year despite the missing screens at Filmhouse and IMAX.