Lionsgate Celebrates ‘Michael’ Surpassing $1 Billion With New Teaser

The story of Michael Jackson has always defied easy classification, much like the studio that took the plunge to bring it to the big screen. Lionsgate, known for its bold franchise bets like ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘John Wick,’ has now reached a new pinnacle with its latest release.

Since its debut in April, ‘Michael’ has shattered records, opening with a historic global weekend and maintaining its momentum throughout the summer. The Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic has now officially crossed the billion-dollar threshold at the worldwide box office, marking a significant milestone as the first film in Lionsgate’s history to achieve this feat.

The journey to this milestone was gradual rather than instantaneous. ‘Michael’ opened domestically with an impressive $97.2 million, setting a new record for music biopics, while its global opening weekend totaled around $217 million.

The film continued to break records, surpassing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ $911 million lifetime total to become the highest-grossing music biopic ever. Shortly thereafter, it overtook Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to become the highest-grossing biopic of all time, regardless of subject.

This achievement was confirmed by a Lionsgate representative to Rolling Stone, solidifying ‘Michael’s’ position ahead of two of the most commercially successful biographical films of the past decade. Additionally, it surpassed ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ to become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release ever.

Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s real-life nephew, stars in his acting debut, portraying his uncle’s journey from the Jackson 5 to the peak of his solo career. He is joined by Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson, with Miles Teller and Laura Harrier in supporting roles, while Juliano Valdi plays a younger version of Michael.

Producer Graham King, who previously worked on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ collaborated with the Jackson estate to bring this story to life. However, the production faced challenges, including reshoots that reportedly cost up to $50 million after the estate raised concerns about depicting one of Jackson’s accusers, necessitating a complete reworking of the film’s third act.

King addressed this decision in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, explaining that they aimed to highlight Jackson’s uplifting story. This choice has drawn some criticism, including from Jackson’s daughter Paris, who mentioned in comments reported by Rolling Stone that her feedback on an early draft was not incorporated, leading her to withdraw from the project.

Despite some friction and a mixed critical reception, ‘Michael’ has resonated with audiences in a way that few biopics achieve. The film concludes with the message “The Story Continues,” and Lionsgate has confirmed that a sequel is already in the works to explore Jackson’s later years.

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