The new biographical film “Michael”, which tells the story of late pop legend Michael Jackson, has achieved a major milestone at the global box office.
It recorded the biggest opening weekend ever for a biopic and quickly became one of the most talked-about music films worldwide.
The film has earned about $217 million since its release. That performance pushed it past earlier record holders like Bohemian Rhapsody and Oppenheimer, both of which previously dominated the genre.
Actor Jaafar Jackson, who is Michael Jackson’s nephew, plays the lead role. The film follows Jackson’s journey from his early years to global superstardom. It also focuses on his family life, especially his difficult relationship with his father.
The production received backing from Jackson’s estate and used his original vocals in several musical scenes. This choice helped the film maintain an authentic connection to his music.
Director Antoine Fuqua led the project through a complicated production process. The team carried out expensive reshoots after legal issues forced major changes to the original script.
These adjustments increased the budget to around $200 million, making it one of the costliest biopics ever made.
The film’s reception has split opinion. Critics gave it mixed reviews, with some arguing that it softened difficult parts of Jackson’s life.
However, audiences responded very positively. One ratings platform showed a big gap, with critics giving it around 38%, while viewers rated it about 97%.
Adam Fogelson, chairman of distributor Lionsgate, praised the film’s strong performance.
“You don’t deliver this figure unless you’re seeing huge numbers across every conceivable demographic. [Audiences] are clearly having a blast,” he said.
Hollywood has seen a steady rise in musical biopics over the past decade. Films about artists such as Queen, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and Amy Winehouse have all performed strongly at the box office.
Industry observers now see *Michael* as part of that successful trend.
The story also changed significantly during production. Early plans included references to allegations made against Jackson, but the team removed that material after discovering a legal agreement linked to one of his accusers.
Director Fuqua explained that the discovery created major challenges.
“All movies have different challenges, but this one was unique,” he said, adding that the team had to “rethink everything”.
The final version of the film focuses mainly on Jackson’s music career and recreates several of his concert performances.
It also highlights his strained relationship with his father, played by Colman Domingo.
Despite the challenges, the film continues to draw large audiences worldwide. Japan remains the only major market yet to release the film, with a premiere set for June.
