‘Michael’ Biopic Aims for $1 Billion Box Office Milestone

The highly anticipated biopic ‘Michael’ about the King of Pop has officially debuted in Japan, and the box office numbers are impressive. According to tracking data from box office analyst Luiz Fernando on X, the Antoine Fuqua-directed film earned an estimated $2.3 million on its opening Friday in Japan, which includes $653k from limited IMAX previews over the past weekend, setting a record for any music biopic in the region.

Audience feedback in Japan has been overwhelmingly positive, with the film holding a 4.2-star rating from local viewers, matching the score achieved by ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ during its release in the market. This comparison is significant, as the Queen biopic went on to achieve remarkable success in Japan and is often viewed as a benchmark for music biopics in the country.

Globally, ‘Michael’ has been steadily gaining traction since its release on April 24, currently sitting at approximately $897.9 million worldwide as it heads into its opening weekend in Japan. The biopic is closing in on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ for the title of highest-grossing music biopic, trailing by less than $23 million. Japan is seen as the crucial market needed to surpass that milestone.

Analysts have indicated that Japan’s strong pre-sale activity would likely be the key factor in dethroning ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ as the highest-grossing music biopic in history. The opening day figures seem to confirm that optimism. For context, Michael Jackson’s 2009 concert documentary ‘This Is It’ earned an impressive $57 million in Japan, marking one of the largest contributions to that film’s overall foreign earnings.

Distributed in Japan by Kino Films, ‘Michael’ stars Jaafar Jackson as his late uncle, with Antoine Fuqua directing from a script by John Logan. The film is produced by Graham King, the Oscar-winning producer of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ The cast also features Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Miles Teller, and the film has received an A- CinemaScore along with a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, despite a mixed critical reception.

In anticipation of the Japanese release, Kino Films launched a promotional campaign dubbed the MICHAEL Tokyo Takeover, which included impressive outdoor displays at TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro, a massive wall display in Shinjuku, and a complete aesthetic transformation of the Clappers Diner inside the Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro complex. This level of investment highlights the significance of the Japanese market.

With a reported production budget nearing $200 million, making it one of the most expensive biopics ever, ‘Michael’ had high expectations to meet. Based on Japan’s opening day performance, it seems to have surpassed those expectations. A projected three-day opening of $6.5 to $8 million in Japan would significantly exceed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ entire opening weekend earnings there, solidifying ‘Michael’ as the biggest music biopic in history.

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