Box office success for This Is It

Michael Jackson may be heading to the top of the charts again - this time at the US box office.

This Is It took in 2.2 million dollars from its first late-night screenings in the US, setting it up for a big full opening day on Wednesday and a strong shot at a No 1 debut weekend.

Those evening screenings alone were enough to top the 1.7 million dollars that Paramount's fright flick Paranormal Activity, last weekend's No 1 movie, pulled in over the entire day on Tuesday.

Director Kenny Ortega said of the film: "What we did here was focus on telling a good story and creating a film for the fans really enabling them to understand what Michael Jackson had dreamed for them."

He also hinted at possible Oscars success for the film, saying it was his hope "the audience for this film will grow and that as many people come to see it as possible because I think that it's a wonderful story about a brilliant man. ... Awards, Oscars, that's all great wishful thinking".

It may be more than wishful, said Steven Gaydos, executive editor of the Hollywood trade paper Variety. With the Academy Awards best-picture slate expanded to 10 films this year rather than the traditional five, This Is It could find itself among the contenders, he said.

Ortega could also find himself in contention for a best-director nod, Gaydos said.

"He did a masterful job putting this whole thing together," he said.

Ortega said an Oscar nod would be a fitting recognition of Jackson's last work.

"He deserves one," he said. "Come on people."