The Lionsgate film Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has made history by becoming the highest-grossing biopic of all time. Still in theatrical release, the Michael Jackson biopic has grossed $977.4 million (£740.9m) globally, surpassing Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which earned $975.8 million (£739.1m).
Record-breaking weekend and billion-dollar potential
Over the past weekend, Michael pulled in $9.2 million (£6.9m) at the global box office. The film, which stars Jackson’s nephew Jafar Jackson as the lead, is now anticipated to reach $1 billion worldwide. If it does so, it will become the second film to achieve that milestone in 2026, following Universal’s Super Mario Galaxy movie.
Comparison to other biopics and theatrical windows
Michael achieved this record despite a 46-day theatrical window. In contrast, Oppenheimer had a well over six-month theatrical window before landing on streaming service Peacock. Among musical biopics, Michael has also surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned $911 million (£690m). Both films were produced by Graham King.
Controversy and production details
According to Variety, the Michael Jackson estate spent up to $15 million (£13.5m) to remove child abuse scenes from the film. After a costly rewrite, the film now steers firmly away from those allegations. Originally, the script leaned into the turbulence of when Evan Chandler accused the singer of sexually abusing his 13-year-old son, Jordan Chandler, in 1993. Early versions included scenes featuring Jackson grappling with the fallout.
Elsewhere in the film, Colman Domingo stars as family patriarch Joe Jackson, alongside Miles Teller as Jackson’s longtime attorney John Branca. Despite the controversy, fans have praised Michael as 'the ultimate love letter to fans.'
Michael is available to rent on platforms such as Prime Video, Apple TV, or Sky Store.
