Jackson film crosses $100 million internationally

LOS ANGELES: The Michael Jackson concert film “This Is It” has crossed the $100 million mark at international box offices as it enters its second weekend in theaters, the studio behind the movie said on Friday.

The film has grossed $144 million worldwide, including $44 million from the United States and Canada.

That is more than double the tally of receipts for 2008’s blockbuster concert film “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds,” a movie some box office watchers had used as a benchmark for “This Is It.”

Outside of North America, the biggest theatrical markets through Thursday night were: Japan with $18.2 million, Britain with $11.1 million and Germany with $8.9 million.

“This Is It,” distributed by Sony Corp-owned Columbia Pictures, was produced from footage of Jackson rehearsing for a series of comeback concerts in London in the final weeks before his June 25 death from an overdose of powerful medication.

The movie opened on Oct. 28 and originally was planned to play for just two weeks, but Sony extended the film’s run.

The film is now slated to run until early December in the United States and Canada.