Michael Jackson’s ‘Michael’ Becomes One of the Highest-Grossing Movies Ever

Box office milestones are rare for films based on real people, typically opting for modest, award-friendly earnings rather than blockbuster figures. This is what makes the ongoing box office performance of the Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’ feel like such an outlier in the current theatrical environment.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and featuring Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, in the lead role, the film debuted in April amidst skepticism from critics and genuine curiosity from audiences. Few anticipated that the movie would evolve into more than a solid theatrical run for a music biopic, especially given its tumultuous pre-release press cycle and mixed reviews.

Contrary to expectations, ‘Michael’ has spent the last several months shattering box office records at an unprecedented pace for biopics. The film has now surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, officially making it the first biopic in history to reach this remarkable milestone, as reported by Deadline’s tracking of the film’s international rollout.

This billion-dollar figure breaks down to approximately $371.8 million domestically and $629.8 million internationally, placing ‘Michael’ well ahead of previous record-holders like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Oppenheimer.’ The film officially overtook Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ in late June, becoming the highest-grossing biopic of all time across all genres, not just music-focused films.

Its domestic earnings have also made it the highest-grossing biopic in U.S. box office history, surpassing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ previous domestic record by a significant margin. This level of staying power at the North American box office is particularly noteworthy, given how infrequently biopics achieve sustained, blockbuster-level runs after their opening weekend buzz fades.

In addition to breaking genre records, ‘Michael’ has also become the biggest release in Lionsgate’s history, surpassing 2013’s ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ to claim the title of the studio’s highest-grossing film ever. This marks the first time Lionsgate has had a movie cross the billion-dollar threshold.

The film’s trajectory toward these milestones has been just as impressive as the totals themselves. ‘Michael’ became the fastest music biopic to reach $500 million worldwide, achieving this in just its third weekend of release, which also made it the top-grossing music biopic domestically in North America at that time.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson attributed the film’s success to its collaborative production, stating in a report by Deadline that Michael’s achievement reflects the studio’s partnership with producer Graham King, director Antoine Fuqua, and the film’s cast, along with its collaboration with the Michael Jackson Estate.

The film’s box office success has also translated into a broader cultural resurgence for Jackson’s music catalog, with tracks like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” experiencing a surge on streaming platforms following the film’s release. This crossover impact has sustained interest in the movie well beyond its opening weeks, contributing to its unusually long theatrical run.

With Lionsgate reportedly considering at least one more film about Jackson’s life following this success, ‘Michael’ has demonstrated that audiences are still eager to turn out in large numbers for the right kind of music biopic, regardless of mixed reviews. The film’s journey from pre-release skepticism to a genre-defining box office phenomenon stands out as one of the most surprising theatrical stories of the year.

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