Since premiering on October 28th, the Michael Jackson This Is It Film has grossed $101 million over five days including over the busy Halloween weekend. Domestically it took in $32.5 million while international sales were $68.5 million. ”This Is It” already looks to make history as the highest grossing concert film and is mainly due to the extent of Michael Jackson’s popularity around the world.  Because of the huge success of the film, it is now extended an extra two weeks in North America, where in the US will be in theaters until  Thanksgiving. Other parts of the world will extend from 1 to 3 weeks depending on each location.

Since the well-reviewed This Is It film held on over the Halloween weekend without any significant decline between Friday and Saturday, Sony decided to extend the run believing it would fade slowly. Another reason is Sony could not come to an agreement with theater owners for releasing a DVD of the movie before Christmas.

“This Is It” is expected to gross over $200 million in theaters worldwide, plus sales from the DVD release, which should be profitable for Sony and generate considerable  returns both to the Jackson estate and AEG Live. The DVD of the movie will be released in January or February.

In a press release from Sony Music Entertainment, a new Michael Jackson song “This Is It” will be released as a single on October 12. The song shares the same title of his This Is It concert comeback tour that Michael Jackson was rehearsing before his death.

Two versions of the This Is It song, which will include backup vocals by Michael Jackson’s brothers, will be featured on a new “This Is It” two-disc cd set. The album will include previously released songs as well as unreleased versions of those same hit songs, plus a never heard before touching spoken-word poem recited by Michael Jackson called “Planet Earth”. The cd set will debut internationally on October 26 and in the US on October 27.