Michael Movie Dominates Box Office, Sparks Heated Debate Over Michael Jackson’s Legacy

The highly anticipated biopic, “Michael,” chronicling the life of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has burst onto the box office scene as an instant sensation, claiming the title of the new box office king. In its opening weekend, the Lionsgate production amassed a staggering $97 million domestically and an impressive $217 million globally. These robust ticket sales not only mark the best start of all time for a biopic, shattering the previous record held by 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton” ($60 million), but also significantly outperforming 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which opened to $51 million before ultimately grossing $910 million worldwide.

“Michael” also secured the second-biggest global debut of the year, trailing only Universal’s sequel “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which opened with $131 million domestically and $372.5 million globally in April. The film exceeded initial tracking estimates, which had projected a domestic opening of $50 million to $60 million, as expectations continued to climb leading up to its release. International markets contributed significantly to its global success, with $120.4 million generated from 82 territories. Top-performing international regions include the United Kingdom and Ireland ($15.6 million), France ($10.1 million), Mexico ($9.7 million), Brazil ($8.2 million), and Italy ($8 million), although it has yet to open in Japan.

Despite a largely negative critical reception, with only 38% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have strongly embraced “Michael,” awarding it an “A-” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. PostTrak data indicates that ticket buyers were 61% female and 66% were 25 years or older, with Lionsgate’s motion picture chair Adam Fogelson noting, “You don’t deliver this number unless you’re seeing huge numbers across every conceivable demographic.” David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, observed that while critics feel the film “avoids the complicated parts of the performer’s life,” it is “playing as a feel good, nostalgic appreciation” for moviegoers.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, “Michael” chronicles the singer’s journey from his early days in the Jackson 5 to becoming one of the planet’s biggest entertainers. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, makes his acting debut in the titular role, supported by Colman Domingo and Nia Long as parents Joe and Katherine Jackson. Critics have raised concerns about the film's sanitized portrayal of Jackson’s life, specifically its omission of child sexual abuse allegations that surfaced later in his career. While an earlier draft of the screenplay dramatized a 1993 child molestation lawsuit against Jackson, these sequences were ultimately removed due to a settlement clause with the young accuser that prohibited his depiction or mention in film or television. Consequently, the film concludes during the Bad tour in 1988.

With a production cost nearing $200 million, “Michael” stands as one of the most expensive biopics ever made. These costs were shared among Lionsgate, Universal (which handles international distribution), and the Michael Jackson estate. Despite the complexities of its production, the film is already proving its worth, marking Lionsgate’s biggest hit in over a decade since 2015’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” ($102 million debut). Projections suggest that if global ticket sales surpass $700 million, “Michael” could rank among the studio’s highest-grossing films of all time, alongside blockbusters like 2013’s “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” ($865 million globally), 2012’s “Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” ($848 million), and 2014’s “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” ($759 million). Lionsgate is reportedly expected to greenlight at least one more film about Jackson’s life.

The film’s success is particularly significant for Lionsgate, which endured a challenging 2024 with a string of commercial disappointments including “Borderlands,” a reboot of “The Crow,” and the “Wonder” prequel “White Bird.” However, the studio has recently seen an upswing with films like “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t,” “The Housemaid,” and “The Long Walk.” “Michael”’s triumph solidifies this positive shift in their box office fortunes.

The biopic's appeal was significantly boosted by its thrilling concert sequences, featuring iconic musical numbers such as “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Beat It.” These electrifying scenes made the film a major draw for premium large formats like IMAX, which accounted for $13.8 million (approximately 14%) of North American ticket sales and $24.5 million globally, marking IMAX’s biggest start for a musical biopic.

Elsewhere at the box office, reigning champion “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” slipped to second place after three weekends at No. 1, adding $21.2 million from 3,732 theaters to boost its domestic revenue to $384 million and its global total to over $800 million ($831 million worldwide). “Project Hail Mary,” in its sixth weekend, secured third place with $13.2 million from 3,510 locations, accumulating a remarkable $305 million in North America and $613 million worldwide ($613.3 million). A24’s thriller “Mother Mary,” starring Anne Hathaway, earned $1.3 million while expanding to 1,103 theaters, with a total of $1.4 million to date. The documentary “Lorne,” about small-screen icon Lorne Michaels, struggled with $70,000 from 248 theaters, bringing its limited release total to $426,000.

Movie theater owners are increasingly optimistic, buoyed by a string of hits from February’s “Scream 7” to early spring blockbusters like “Project Hail Mary,” “Super Mario,” and A24’s arthouse breakout “The Drama.” Overall revenues are currently 15% ahead of the same point in 2025, although this percentage has slightly dropped from 23% a few weeks prior. The summer season promises a strong start with next weekend’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” followed in May by Warner Bros.’ action sequel “Mortal Kombat 2” and the “Star Wars” spinoff “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” Michael O’Leary, head of Cinema United, commented, “Building on the momentum of global hits like ‘Project Hail Mary’ and ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’ this weekend, Michael is proving yet again that audiences show up for compelling stories on the big screen. Movie fan enthusiasm will continue to grow next weekend when ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ hits theaters worldwide.” The success of “Michael” also reflects a broader trend of musical biopics, with recent films about Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Presley achieving varying degrees of success, often by leaning heavily on thrilling concert sequences to engage audiences.