November 13, 2009

By By Jill Serjeant, 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.

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 U.K. ($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 Oct. 28 for a planned two week run but has since been extended until early December.

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