Michael is putting together the kind of box office performance that mirrors the global impact of the superstar whose story it tells.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and led by Jaafar Jackson in the role of his legendary uncle, the Michael Jackson biopic has climbed to an estimated $959.6 million worldwide through this weekend. With momentum still building in theaters across multiple territories, industry observers expect the film to cross the $1 billion mark as early as next weekend.
That milestone would place Michael in rare company as just the 62nd film ever to reach the billion-dollar threshold worldwide. It would also make the Lionsgate and Universal release the highest-grossing biopic in movie history.
The film is rapidly approaching the current record held by Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which finished its theatrical run with $975.8 million globally. Michael has already secured another major achievement by moving past Bohemian Rhapsody’s $910.8 million haul, making it the most successful music biopic ever released.
Recent international numbers have played a key role in the film’s continued surge. A strong debut in Japan provided another boost, generating $2.3 million on opening day and helping push the worldwide total even higher. The latest results have only strengthened projections that the film will soon enter the billion-dollar club.
Since its release, Michael has attracted moviegoers across generations, drawing longtime fans of the King of Pop as well as younger audiences discovering his story on the big screen. The combination of Jackson’s enduring cultural influence, Fuqua’s direction, and Jaafar Jackson’s highly discussed performance has helped turn the film into one of the year’s biggest theatrical events.
Now, with history within reach, Michael appears poised to add one more record-breaking chapter to the legacy of one of music’s most iconic figures.
