Michael Jackson Film Gets Two-Week Run

Published by Jeff Leins on August 21, 2009

Sony Pictures is releasing the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It for a limited two-week run starting October 28, 2009.  Tickets to the show will go on sale September 27.  Does anyone else think the title is a little depressing?

The 100+ hours of footage is being pieced together into a tribute by Jackson’s creative partner and concert choreographer, Kenny Ortega.  Sony acquired the London tour rehearsals and behind-the-scenes clips from concert promoter AEG Live for $60 million, the biggest deal in documentary rights.

The limited engagement is similar to Disney’s release of Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, which became the highest grossing concert film ever with $70.6 million worldwide.  If the non-stop media coverage is any indication, Jackson’s mass appeal will crush that number.

A global tribute concert is playing live to the world from Vienna in late September.  Fans crashed the website trying to purchase tickets ranging from $85-712 to see possible performances by Madonna, U2, Lionel Richie, and Whitney Houston.

For anyone who hasn’t moved on at this point, the Jackson family has set a burial date after weeks of autopsies kept the body above ground.  A spokesman ironically named Ken Sunshine announced the funeral for September 3.