Michael Jackson Biopic Shatters Box Office Records With $217M Worldwide
Controversy didn’t stop Michael from raking in big bucks at the box office.
The estate-approved biopic about Michael Jackson has taken in $217 million at the worldwide box office since it opened on April 24. Just under $100 million of that total came from U.S. audiences, with the remaining $120 million coming from international markets, according to Box Office Mojo.
‘Michael’ could be the most successful musical biopic of all time
Michael has already broken records in the first days of its release. It’s the second-best domestic opening for a movie in 2026, after Super Mario Galaxy Movie, according to Deadline. More notably it’s also the biggest opening ever for a musical biopic, outperforming films like Bohemian Rhapsody (about Queen’s Freddie Mercury), Rocketman (Elton John), A Complete Unknown (Bob Dylan), and Straight Outta Compton (NWA).
However, Michael still has some work to do if it hopes to overtake Bohemian Rhapsody’s impressive total box office of $910.8 million worldwide – the most ever for a musical biopic. But for now, those behind the film are happy.
“I am over the moon that this film brought people together just like Michael did through his performances and music,” producer Graham King told Deadline.
Michael Jackson fans love ‘Michael’
Much of the credit for Michael’s success goes to his nephew Jaafar Jackson, who took on the challenge of portraying the King of Pop. While critical response to the movie has been mixed to negative, many reviewers pointed to his performance as a bright spot. And so far, audiences are clearly not bothered by director Antoine Fuqua’s somewhat simplified take on Jackson’s complicated life. (The film ends before the “Thriller” singer was publicly accused of sexually abusing multiple boys, nor does it address his erratic behavior later in his life or his 2009 death from a drug overdose.)
As of Monday, Michael has a 97% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to a 38% positive critics score.
“It was spectacular and Jafaar Jackson was fabulous in this movie. He embodied Michael Jackson and he truly did his uncle justice,” one person wrote.
Another viewer noted that the “story line definitely is too simple for Michael’s life” but praised the musical numbers.
Several people said they were eager to see a potential sequel that would cover Jackson’s later years.
“The acting and storytelling were phenomenal,” one person wrote. “Part 2 of this movie will be interesting, as I am sure it will dig into the parts that critics want the most.”
Will ‘Michael’ get a sequel?
Lionsgate, which released Michael, has said it’s considering Michael: Part 2 depending on the box office performance of the first film. While the sequel doesn’t have a finished script, some scenes that address the 1993 sexual abuse allegations against Jackson have already been shot. Those were originally supposed to appear in Michael, but they had to be scrapped because of the terms of the singer’s settlement with his alleged victim, which prohibit him from being depicted or mentioned on screen. Still, the studio has high hopes for a follow-up film.
“We absolutely have more story to tell,” Lionsgate film chair Adam Fogelson told The Hollywood Reporter at Michael’s premiere. “We have prepared for that moment. And if the audience reinforces that they’re ready for more, we’re prepared to give it to them sooner rather than later.”
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