‘Michael’ Surpasses $1 Billion Mark Thanks to International Fans
Music biopics typically don’t compete with summer’s biggest blockbusters, often struggling to reach even a few hundred million dollars globally. Therefore, the idea of a billion-dollar music biopic seemed far-fetched until now.
This week, ‘Michael‘ has entered its twelfth week in theaters, boasting $371.6 million domestically and $620.1 million internationally, bringing its total to $991.7 million, just a strong weekend of Japanese ticket sales away from the billion-dollar milestone.
That moment has now arrived. ‘Michael’ has officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the box office, as reported by The New York Times. The film’s ongoing success in Japan and Russia suggests that this total will continue to rise as summer progresses.
This achievement makes ‘Michael’ the second film to reach the billion-dollar milestone in 2026, joining Universal and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’ which currently stands at approximately $1.008 billion worldwide. Japan’s contribution has been crucial, as it was anticipated to help push the film past this threshold, thanks to a collaboration between Lionsgate and Japanese distributor Kino.
The journey to this milestone was not without its challenges. The production underwent around $50 million in reshoots after the Jackson estate raised concerns about a significant plot point in John Logan’s original screenplay involving one of Jackson’s accusers, who was not meant to be depicted in the film. Critics have largely criticized the final product for glossing over Jackson’s life story by omitting the child sexual abuse allegations that overshadowed his later career, yet this criticism has not hindered ticket sales.
The film’s box office performance has been remarkably effective given its budget, achieving about 6.3 times its reported $155 million production cost according to The Numbers. This success provides Lionsgate with a rare Wall Street-friendly proof point following its separation from Starz in May 2025.
‘Michael’ has already become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release ever, surpassing 2013’s ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.’ The studio is reportedly planning to greenlight at least one more film that will delve deeper into Jackson’s life.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film features Jaafar Jackson as his real-life uncle in his acting debut, alongside Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson. With ‘Michael’ now dethroning ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time and earning a 97 percent Verified Hot score from Rotten Tomatoes audiences despite critical backlash, the film’s billion-dollar milestone appears to be just the beginning of its late summer surge.
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