(recasts lead, updates with quotes from film's director)
LOS ANGELES, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Worldwide ticket sales for Michael Jackson's concert movie exceeded initial forecasts when final data were issued on Monday, rising to $103.9 million, distributor Columbia Pictures said.
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The North American contribution rose to $34.4 million, up from $32.5 million, while the international tally received a $1 million bump to $69.5 million.
Columbia said it underestimated North American sales for Saturday and Sunday, expecting Halloween festivities to take a bigger bite out of business. In the end, Sunday was the biggest day, with North American sales of $8.3 million -- an indication of rising rather than abating interest in seeing the film.
"I'm just happy that this film has made him a movie star," "This is It" director Kenny Ortega said at a panel during the AFI Fest in Hollywood on Monday evening.
He said Jackson planned to focus on filmmaking, including a 3-D feature version of his groundbreaking "Thriller" music clip, after completing an ambitious farewell world concert tour.
Jackson never lived to achieve those dreams, dying of a drug overdose in June, shortly before heading to London to play 50 arena concerts.
Columbia paid about $60 million for the rights to turn his rehearsal footage into a feature film. It had initially planned a limited two-week run, but announced on Sunday that the film would run until the end of November in the United States. In foreign territories, it will be extended on a case-by-case basis. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
