The Michael Jackson biopic has smashed records in its genre and moonwalked to the top of the box office charts.
The film titled Michael had the highest-grossing opening weekend of all time for a biopic, racking up US$217 million worldwide.
Internationally, the film grossed US$120.4 million and $97 million domestically, surpassing Openheimer’s $180.4 million opening weekend in 2023 and Bohemian Rhapsody’s $124 million in 2018.
The film has opened in most of the world. One of the most notable exceptions is Japan, where there is a large Jackson fanbase, where it's slated to open in June.
Its $97 million opening weekend in North America also smashed domestic biopic records set by Oppenheimer ($82 million in 2023), Straight Outta Compton ($60.2 million in 2015) and Bohemian Rhapsody ($51 million in 2018).
Michael wildly outperformed domestic estimates of $70 million.
It was also Lionsgate’s biggest opening weekend since the pandemic and its biggest launch for a non-adaptation.
Michael now sits as the film production company’s sixth-biggest debut behind the original four Hunger Games movies and Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part II.
The movie succeeded despite controversy surrounding its subject.
The reputation of Jackson, who died at age 50 in 2009, has been put into question after allegations of sexual abuse of children were brought to the surface.
The film’s total production came close to $200 million and required costly rewrites.
The third act focused on the accusations of Jordan Chandler, then 13 years old, whom Jackson paid $23 million to in a 1994 settlement. The terms of that settlement barred the Jackson estate from ever mentioning Chandler in a movie.
This resulted in the Jackson estate spending around $50 million for reshoots after the film was reworked to conclude in 1988, before any accusations were made.
Michael is expected to gross over $700 million in ticket sales by the end of its run in cinemas.
Oppenheimer remains the highest-grossing biopic at $975, and Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen biopic, is the highest-grossing music biopic at $910 million.
