Pakistan, April 25 -- The musical biopic Michael made a strong international box office opening, earning $18.5 million on its first day across overseas markets.

The total includes $16.6 million from Wednesday screenings and $1.9 million from Tuesday previews, according to distributor figures. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film charts the early life and rise of Michael Jackson, with Jaafar Jackson portraying the singer.

The film is set to debut in North America and 82 international markets, with further openings scheduled across additional territories including China, India, Bolivia and Pakistan. Early performance figures indicate strong momentum in several key regions. France, the United Kingdom and Ireland each generated $2.6 million ...