‘Michael’ Set to Achieve Unprecedented Milestone for Music Biopics

Music biopics have often struggled to meet box office expectations, with many failing to reach even a few hundred million dollars globally before disappearing from theaters. However, Antoine Fuqua’s ‘Michael‘ has defied the odds, showcasing an impressive performance right from its opening weekend, which turned out to be one of the strongest in the genre’s history.

The film raked in 97.2 million dollars domestically during its opening weekend, setting a record for biographical musical films. When combined with international ticket sales, the total opening weekend gross reached approximately 218.8 million dollars. By June 14, ‘Michael’ had already surpassed 911.9 million dollars globally, overtaking ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to become the highest-grossing music biopic ever.

Now, the film is on the brink of achieving a milestone that no music biopic has ever reached. LOVE has highlighted the growing excitement surrounding the film, indicating that ‘Michael’ is projected to exceed one billion dollars at the global box office by tomorrow, a feat that would place it in an exclusive category.

As reported by Forbes, the film currently stands at 991.7 million dollars worldwide and only requires a slight boost from its ongoing success in Japan to cross the billion-dollar mark. This achievement would make it just the second film to reach that milestone in 2026, following Universal’s ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’ which has grossed 1.010 billion dollars worldwide. Japan’s substantial fanbase for Jackson has been noted as a crucial factor in the film’s late surge, reminiscent of the 57 million dollars earned by the 2009 concert documentary This Is It in the country alone.

The journey to this milestone has not been without challenges. The production faced approximately 50 million dollars in reshoots after the Jackson estate raised a legal issue regarding a settlement clause that prohibited the depiction of one of Jackson’s accusers. This necessitated a reworking of the entire third act, shifting its focus to Jackson’s preparation for the 1987 Bad tour.

Critical reception has been mixed throughout its run, with the film holding a mere 38 percent positive reviews and an average rating of 4.9 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes. In contrast, audiences have given it an A minus CinemaScore.

Jaafar Jackson stars as his uncle in the titular role, marking his feature film debut, while Juliano Valdi portrays a younger version of the singer. The supporting cast includes Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, and Laura Harrier. The film has already become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release of all time, and as of May 21, Lionsgate confirmed that a sequel is officially in development.

Despite a brief period in late June when weekly growth slowed and fans feared the billion-dollar mark might slip away, the film’s current total of 991.4 million dollars breaks down to approximately 371 million dollars domestically and 620 million dollars internationally, with particularly strong performances continuing in Japan, France, Brazil, and Mexico.

If Forbes‘ projection holds true, ‘Michael’ will conclude its historic run not only as the highest-grossing music biopic and biographical film ever made but also as one of only two films this year to join the billion-dollar club.

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