The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic *Michael* has roared onto the global box office landscape, securing its place in Hollywood history by posting the highest opening weekend gross ever recorded for any biographical film. Led by Jaafar Jackson, the late King of Pop’s own nephew in his breakout leading role, the musical biopic raked in a staggering $217 million (£160 million) worldwide during its opening five days, which launched globally last Wednesday.
This record-breaking haul topples two long-standing benchmarks. Before *Michael*’s release, the top opening for a musical biopic belonged to 2018’s *Bohemian Rhapsody*, which launched with $124 million (£91 million) and earned star Rami Malek an Academy Award for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury. The new release even outpaced 2024’s *Oppenheimer*, which opened to $180 million (£133 million) to claim the all-biopic opening crown.
Adam Fogelson, chair of *Michael*’s United States distribution partner Lionsgate, attributed the historic opening to broad cross-demographic appeal. “You don’t deliver this figure unless you’re seeing huge numbers across every conceivable demographic,” Fogelson noted. “Audiences are clearly having a blast.”
Despite its massive commercial success, the film has sparked a sharp divide between critics and moviegoers. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, critics have awarded *Michael* a lukewarm 38% average score, with many reviewers criticizing the film for presenting what they call a “sanitized” narrative of Jackson’s decades-long career. In stark contrast, audience ratings sit at an overwhelming 97%, with widespread praise directed at Jaafar Jackson’s uncanny portrayal of the pop icon.
The omission of any reference to child sexual abuse allegations that dogged Jackson’s later career has been the core point of critical contention. Jackson consistently maintained his innocence and was acquitted of all child molestation charges in a 2005 criminal trial. Filmmakers initially planned to include a storyline centered on 1990s allegations made by Jordan Chandler, but the project was forced to undergo major changes after a long-forgotten non-disclosure agreement (NDA) was rediscovered. The confidential settlement Jackson reached with Chandler’s family included a permanent clause banning the singer’s estate from ever mentioning Chandler in any film production.
Director Antoine Fuqua described the last-minute NDA discovery as a uniquely challenging hurdle for the production team. Speaking to *Deadline* over opening weekend, Fuqua explained, “The rediscovery of the NDA led to a tough period because the team had to rethink everything. All movies have different challenges, but this one was unique.” To work around the legal restriction, the team opted to refocus the narrative entirely on Jackson’s rise to legendary status in the music industry, ending the story in 1988 – years before the first public allegations emerged.
The revised narrative centers heavily on meticulously recreated concert performances and explores the famously strained relationship between a young Jackson and his domineering father Joseph, portrayed by Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo. The extensive reshoots required to restructure the film pushed its total production budget to an estimated $200 million (£148 million), making *Michael* one of the most expensive biopics ever made. Financed by Jackson’s own estate, the film features the star’s original studio and live vocals for all its iconic musical numbers, from *Billie Jean* to *Beat It* and *Thriller*.
*Michael* is just the latest entry in a decade-long boom of musical biopics in Hollywood, a genre that studios have come to rely on as consistent box office draws. In recent years, the lives of music icons including Queen, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse, N.W.A, Robbie Williams, and Whitney Houston have all been adapted for the big screen.
While *Michael* launched simultaneously across most major global markets last weekend, it has yet to reach Japanese cinemas, with a June release date scheduled by local distributors. The film’s blockbuster opening also adds to a recent positive upswing for the global cinema industry, coming on the heels of other major hits including *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* and *Project Hail Mary*, with the highly anticipated *The Devil Wears Prada 2* set to premiere this coming weekend. For long-time fans of Jackson, whose 1982 album *Thriller* remains the best-selling album of all time, the film offers a deep dive into the early career of one of pop music’s most influential and recognizable performers.