Lionsgate’s groundbreaking portrayal of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson has eclipsed all of its contemporaries to become the highest grossing biopic of all time, garnering a historic $977.5 million at the worldwide box office.
After already leapfrogging 2018’s biographical Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, the flick has now moonwalked past Christopher Nolan’s 2023 film Oppenheimer which previously held the box office record for any film based on a real-life figure.
Fueled by the Beat It singer’s massive fanbase 17 years after his death, and backed a relentless theatre momentum, the biopic is now a stone’s throw away from snagging the coveted $1 billion milestone.
A Record-Shattering Debut
Michael signaled its box office dominance on day one, raking in a staggering $218.8 million global opening weekend ($97.2 million domestically). It easily cleared the previous domestic opening weekend record for a musical biopic held by 2015’s Straight Outta Compton ($60.2 million).
The Global Footprint
While domestic ticket sales have been incredibly strong at $370.2 million, it’s the international markets that truly propelled the film to the top spot. Overseas earnings sit at $607.2 million, with massive, sustained turnouts across Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe (notably holding exceptionally well week-over-week in Japan and Brazil).
Audience vs. Critic Divide
Much like Bohemian Rhapsody before it, Michael faced a wave of mixed-to-negative reviews from critics who flagged its safe handling of the pop star’s highly controversial personal life. However, general moviegoers completely ignored the reviews, driving immense repeat viewings thanks to high-octane musical sequences and a breakout lead performance by Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson.
Impact On Jackson Music Streams
As per industry data tracker Luminate, the impact was immediate. During the film’s opening weekend, official on-demand streams of Jackson’s solo catalog in the United States skyrocketed by 95%, jumping from 16.3 million to 31.7 million streams in just the first two days. That momentum carried through the entire week, culminating in a historic 137.5 million official streams in the US alone.This marked a staggering 146% increase from his pre-movie baseline and officially set the record for the biggest streaming week of Jackson’s career.
On the strength of the streaming spikes, the iconic Thriller album rocketed back into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 (landing at No. 7), while the compilation album Number Ones climbed to No. 13. Jackson also hit No. 3 on the Billboard Artist 100—his highest ranking since the chart debuted in 2014.
Meanwhile, forty-three years after its original release, Billie Jean led the streaming charge. It initially surged into the Top 10 on the Global Spotify chart during opening weekend and later remarkably fought its way all the way back to the #1 spot on Global Spotify as international box office momentum peaked.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael chronicles the late pop King’s remarkable journey to mega stardom, from his formative Jackson 5 days to shaping pop culture, dominating the charts and becoming a mythical figure in music. From precise reenactments of his blockbuster music videos to recreations of his earth-shattering stage performances, the biopic has rewritten the history books and shaken up the top tier of biographical films, unseating both cinematic juggernauts and acclaimed musical histories.
For his acting debut, Jaafar Jackson, the late singer’s own nephew, plays the titular role, whilst veterans Nia Long and Colman Domingo take on the roles of Katherine and Joe Jackson – Michael’s parents – respectively.
