Worldwide sell-outs for Michael Jackson film

With reports still coming in from around the world, it is believed no movie in history has generated so many ticket sales so far in advance of its release.

In North America, online ticket sellers Fandango and MovieTickets.com report that there is extraordinary demand for the film with hundreds of showtimes already sold out after one day of pre-sales. Some 80 percent of all online ticketing service transactions were for the film, which will debut in some markets with special advance showings on the evening of Tuesday, 27 October and will open worldwide on Wednesday, October 28 2009. The film is directed by long-time Jackson collaborator Kenny Ortega.

Beating Harry Potter in London

In London, Vue Entertainment's film buying director, Stuart Boreman, said Michael Jackson's This Is It sold more than 30 000 tickets in its first 24 hours, setting the biggest ever one-day sales record in the UK, eclipsing advance buying for films including Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. "I've never seen anything like it in the 25 years I have been film buying," Boreman said. "It's a true phenomenon and sales show no sign of slowing down."

In Japan, more than USD1 million in ticket sales were recorded within the first 24 hours of their release, setting an advanced-sales record unmatched by any movie in history.

Bigger than Transformers in Australia

Staggering advance sales were reported in Australia, where tickets purchased through Village Cinemas exceeded the lifetime pre-sales of such blockbusters as Transformers, and X-Men Origins.

In Bangkok, Thailand, fans lined up at box office ticket counters throughout the city, and by the end of the first day, all tickets for the first showings across Bangkok were sold out.

Sell-outs at theatres in France are also being reported; thousands of fans lined up at The Grand Rex in Paris and quickly bought out the film's first screening there. Record-setting sales also were recorded in Germany; hundreds of fans lined up outside one theatre in Munich at midnight to await the opening of the box office.

Record sales and sell-outs are also being reported in Holland, Sweden, Belgium and New Zealand, among other countries.

Local is lekker too

In South Africa, the pre-bookings have been overwhelming with the fastest take-up of tickets since the Michael Jackson History tour in South Africa in 1997. Over 2000 tickets were sold in the first three hours with the total sales to date just below 4000 tickets. Exhibitors encourage fans to book now to secure their seats for the two-week limited run on circuit. Tickets can be booked at www.thisisitmovie.co.za or at cinemas.