The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has defied controversy, negative reviews, and a problematic production to achieve a staggering $217 million worldwide opening weekend, including $97 million from North America. This performance shatters the previous record for the biggest biopic opening of all time, surpassing Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer ($180.4 million in 2023) and the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody ($124 million in 2018).
Record-Breaking Debut
The film, which is a highly authorized portrayal of the “king of pop” co-produced by the Jackson estate and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, earned $120.4 million internationally and $97 million domestically. It has opened in most major markets worldwide, with the notable exception of Japan, where it will debut in June. In North America, Michael also outperformed other biopic records set by Oppenheimer ($82 million), Straight Outta Compton ($60.2 million), and Bohemian Rhapsody ($51 million).
Critical Reception vs. Audience Response
Critics have been harsh, with the film scoring just 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences have been overwhelmingly positive, giving it a 97% approval rating. This disconnect highlights the film's appeal to Jackson's fanbase despite its sanitized portrayal of his life. Early estimates for the North American opening were around $50 million, later revised to $70 million, but the final figure far exceeded expectations.
Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson expressed confidence in the project, stating, “From the beginning, all of the signals were that something like this was possible. We were seeing massive engagement with every conceivable audience segment that you could identify.”
Controversy and Production Challenges
Even within the lucrative music biopic genre, Michael was a risky bet for Lionsgate due to Jackson's controversial legacy. The pop star, who died in 2009 at age 50, faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse, though he was acquitted in his 2005 criminal trial and maintained his innocence. The film notably glosses over these allegations, a decision that drew criticism from some family members. Jackson's sister Janet Jackson was uninvolved, and his daughter Paris called the film “fantasy land.”
The production was unusually rocky. After shooting concluded, producers discovered a costly error: the third act focused on allegations by Jordan Chandler, a 13-year-old boy who settled with Jackson for $23 million in 1994. The settlement terms prohibited the Jackson estate from mentioning Chandler in any movie. This forced extensive reshoots costing up to $50 million, paid by the estate. Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan rewrote the film to conclude in 1988, before any accusations emerged. Fogelson described the situation as “a unique and challenging circumstance,” rejecting claims of panic.
Future Prospects
Despite these hurdles, Michael became a box office hit. With a total production cost near $200 million, Lionsgate mitigated risk by selling international distribution rights to Universal. A sequel is already in development, and a third film is “not inconceivable,” according to Fogelson. Fuqua expressed strong interest in directing the sequel, telling Deadline, “It would kill me if somebody else did it.” He also hinted that cut footage, including material about the Jordan allegations and later events, could be repurposed.
Plans for Michael were announced in 2022, three years after the release of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which detailed abuse allegations. The documentary's director, Dan Reed, recently told the Guardian, “It kind of fills me with horror, the degree to which everyone can turn a blind eye to the fact that this guy was a bit of a monster.”
Despite the controversy, Bohemian Rhapsody remains the highest-grossing music biopic ever with $910 million globally, while Oppenheimer holds the overall biopic record at $975 million. Michael has a long way to go to match those totals, but its opening weekend suggests strong momentum.
