MJ's This Is It passes $200 million

Michael Jackson's concert movie This Is It has raked in more than $200 million at box offices worldwide in the first two weeks of release. The movie is now one of the biggest grossing movies worldwide of 2009.

Michael Jackson's concert movie This Is It has earned more than $200 million at box offices worldwide in the first two weeks of release, the studio behind the movie said on Thursday.

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 UK ($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.