‘Michael’ Continues to Thrive Globally as Box Office Momentum Persists

The biopic ‘Michael’ about Michael Jackson has demonstrated remarkable staying power in Japan, making every box office comparison seem like a moving target. According to box office analyst Quote, even with a 15% drop this weekend, the film would still be ahead by 2 million compared to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ total earnings over four weeks in the Japanese market, showcasing how significantly ‘Michael’ has outperformed its closest genre rival in this crucial territory.

This context is important because Japan has a unique enthusiasm for music biopics, and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was a generational hit there, enjoying a lengthy run and consistently trending upwards before settling into an impressive long-tail performance. The Queen biopic ultimately grossed over $20 million in Japan throughout its theatrical run, a milestone that ‘Michael’ has already surpassed.

Another notable point from the analyst’s insights is that the biopic only dropped about 5% on its fourth Friday compared to ‘Toy Story 5’s’ opening day in Japan, suggesting a potential weekend gain rather than a decline when the full numbers are reported on Sunday night. Maintaining or increasing its performance in week four against a Pixar blockbuster at peak hype would be an extraordinary achievement for any live-action biopic in recent memory.

‘Michael’ premiered in Japan on June 12 through local distributor Kino, which secured the territory independently from Universal’s broader international deal covering most foreign markets. This local distribution strategy was seen as a significant gamble at the time, but it has clearly paid off, with Japan emerging as one of the film’s top two or three international markets during its theatrical run.

Currently, the film’s global box office total stands at approximately $977 million, just over $20 million shy of the billion-dollar milestone that would make it the second film to reach that mark worldwide this year. With Japan continuing to deliver strong Friday numbers and no major competition expected to displace it from its top-three position in that market this weekend, the path to a billion remains very much alive.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and featuring Jaafar Jackson portraying his real-life uncle, the biopic has already broken the record for the highest-grossing music biopic globally, surpassing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ lifetime global total of $910.8 million during its tenth week of release. It also recently set the domestic record for the highest-grossing biopic ever, overtaking ‘The Passion of the Christ’s’ long-standing North American benchmark.

For a film that debuted to mixed reviews and considerable controversy, its journey from opening weekend to its current standing in movie history has become one of the most remarkable stories in the global box office in recent years. Japan, where the King of Pop has always had a loyal fan base, shows no signs of losing interest.

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