Despite rave reviews, loads of promotion, and premium 3-D ticket prices, Michael Jackson's rehearsal-footage movie This Is It earned a less-than-hoped-for $20.1 million on yesterday's opening day from showings in 99 countries. The movie's $7.4 million domestic take was less than half of what Sony had expected, and estimates for It's five-day international total are now between $40 million and $50 million. We won't know for certain until Paul Dergarabedian explains it to us on Sunday, but it's widely believed that this would be less than the $250 million AEG had originally predicted.

Disappointing $20.1M Global Bow for Michael Jackson's 'This Is It'; Just $20+M Weekend, $-50M Five-Day [Deadline.com]