Michael Jackson Biopic Breaks Records with Massive Global Debut

A new musical biopic about the King of Pop has made a powerful entrance at the global box office, setting a new record for the biggest opening weekend ever for a biographical film.

Titled Michael, the film stars Jaafar Jackson—the late icon’s nephew—in the lead role. Since its midweek release, it has generated an impressive $217 million (£160 million) worldwide, surpassing previous benchmarks set by similar films.

Among those records is Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned $124 million during its opening weekend in 2018, with Rami Malek portraying Freddie Mercury. The new film also outperformed Oppenheimer, which debuted with $180 million, making Michael the biggest biopic launch of any kind.

Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate, credited the film’s broad appeal, noting strong audience turnout across demographics.

While audiences have embraced the film enthusiastically, critics have been less impressed. Review platform Rotten Tomatoes shows a stark contrast, with critics giving it a 38% score compared to a 97% audience rating. Some reviewers argued the film presents a “sanitised” version of Jackson’s life.

The film arrives amid a continuing trend of successful musical biopics in Hollywood, with artists like Elton John, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse all receiving recent cinematic portrayals.

Backed by Jackson’s estate, Michael features original recordings of his music and focuses heavily on his artistic journey. However, it avoids addressing the child sexual abuse allegations that surrounded the singer during his lifetime. Michael Jackson consistently denied the accusations and was acquitted in a 2005 trial.

Initially, filmmakers planned to include aspects of these allegations, particularly those involving Jordan Chandler. However, a previously undiscovered non-disclosure agreement prevented any reference to him, forcing major changes to the storyline.

As a result, the film now concludes in 1988—before the controversies emerged—and underwent extensive reshoots. Director Antoine Fuqua described the process as uniquely challenging, requiring a complete reworking of the narrative.

The revised film leans more on recreations of Jackson’s iconic performances and explores his complicated relationship with his father, Joseph Jackson, portrayed by Colman Domingo.

With a production cost reportedly around $200 million, Michael ranks among the most expensive biopics ever made. It has already premiered in most global markets, with a Japan release scheduled for June.

The film’s success adds to a recent resurgence in cinema attendance, alongside other hits like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary, with more major releases on the horizon including The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Michael Jackson remains one of the most influential artists in music history, known for timeless hits such as Billie Jean, Beat It, Smooth Criminal, and Black or White. His 1982 album Thriller continues to hold the record as the best-selling album of all time.