Michael has minted over a billion dollars globally.
The film has broken several records for Lionsgate.
It is directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Michael, Antoine Fuqua's biographical drama on the life of Michael Jackson, has crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, establishing itself the first Hollywood biopic to reach the milestone.
Michael Is Now The Highest-Earning Biopic
The film has earned roughly $372 million in North America and more than $629 million overseas, taking its worldwide total past the coveted $1 billion milestone. It opened to $97 million domestically and $217 million globally, decimating the opening weekend benchmark for musical biopics set by 2015’s Straight Outta Compton ($60 million). It has endured as a box office juggernaut, weathering the pinnacle of summer movie season.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the film stars Jaafar Jackson, who is Michael Jackson's nephew, in his feature film debut as the King of Pop. The cast also includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier and Mike Myers. The film trails Jackson's rise from his early days with the Jackson 5 to the peak of his solo career, concluding with the 1988 'Bad' World Tour.
Michael has cemented itself as the highest-grossing musical biopic, striding past 2018’s Queen sensation Bohemian Rhapsody with $911 million worldwide, as well as the biggest film based on a real person, beating 2023’s Oppenheimer with $975 million. Bohemian Rhapsody was slammed by reviewers yet went on to earn five Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. It won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Rami Malek.
Michael is also the largest film of all time for Lionsgate, as well as the studio’s first movie to ever reach $1 billion. Michael opened in theaters on April 24 and proved wrong pre-release projections of a $65 million to $70 million opening and panning reviews from critics to earn $97.2 million from 3,955 North American theaters.
Director Antoine Fuqua reacted, “Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with Michael is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew and partners. This achievement belongs to everyone who came together with a shared vision to honor one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. I am profoundly grateful to the audiences around the globe who embraced this film, showed up in theaters, and connected with this story across generations and cultures. This historic milestone is a testament to the enduring power of cinema to bring us together, and it is a chapter in movie history I will never forget.”
