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Rediff.com  » Movies » Stars, fans flock MJ's This is It premiere

Stars, fans flock MJ's This is It premiere

Last updated on: October 28, 2009 16:26 IST

Image: Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez
Photographs: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

Thousands of Michael Jackson fans flocked to theatres around the globe to view the late star's last performance in the film This Is It.

Some Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lopez and hotel heiress Paris Hilton was also spotted at the Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday.

Behind the scenes footage of the King of Pop

Image: Jermaine Jackson and Halima Rashid

The documentary features behind the scenes footage of the King of Pop as he prepared for his sold-out comeback concerts in London before his sudden death on June 25.

Michael Jackson's older brother Jermaine Jackson made it to the Los Angeles premiere with his wife, Halima Rashid, dressed in a pretty salwar kameez.

18 simultaneous premieres in five continents

Image: Dancers impersonating Michael Jackson perform on the red carpet during the Taiwan premiere of This Is It in Taipei
Photographs: Nicky Loh/Reuters

The two-hour movie, which is being hyped as the last-ever performance by the singer, was rolled out for 18 simultaneous premieres in five continents, reports the Telegraph.

Sold out!

Image: American Idol finalist Adam Lambert and singer Katy Perryat at the premiere in Los Angeles
Photographs: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

Devotees were said to have grabbed all the advance tickets in several countries within days of going on sale last month.

'Bigger than Elvis'

Image: A dancer performs at the premiere in Los Angeles

Analyst Jeff Bock of box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations said the film, which expands to 110 territories by this weekend, could 'play bigger than Elvis.'

'We could be looking at 70 to 100 million dollars in the first five days alone'

Image: Ashley Tisdale and Paula Abdul

'This is more of a memorial than a movie. I think we could be looking at 70 to 100 million dollars in the first five days alone, which is extraordinary for this type of film,' Bock said.

Waiting list

Image: Will Smith and Macy Gray

MJ's fans had waited for three days in California to make sure they did not miss out on the 3,000 tickets issued to the Los Angeles shows.

This is NOT It

Image: Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt and actor boyfriend Jamie Kennedy

But not all are ecstatic. Die-hard fans of late King of Pop have launched a campaign to boycott This Is It.

The online protest -- called This is NOT It -- is being supported by thousands of people, who claim that the film features the singer's deteriorating health and the stress of the planned 50 London shows leading up to his death in June.

They claimed 20,000 hits in 24 hours on their website and 13 branches.

'The film has been craftily edited to maximise profits,' the Sun quoted spokesman Giovanni Panunzio as saying.

Michael's father Joe and sister La Toya have accused Sony Pictures of using stand-ins in the film.

Source: ANI