There’s a new box office king, and it’s Michael. The Lionsgate-backed biopic on the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has stormed into theatres with a phenomenal opening—earning $97 million domestically and a massive $217 million globally in its very first weekend. These numbers mark the biggest debut ever for a biopic, easily surpassing the previous record held by Straight Outta Compton ($60 million). It has also outperformed the opening of Bohemian Rhapsody, which began with $51 million before eventually reaching $910 million worldwide. Among this year’s releases, “Michael” stands as the second-biggest debut, just behind April’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($131 million).
Just a month ago, early projections had estimated the film would open between $50 million and $60 million, but excitement kept building as the release date approached. Despite receiving largely negative reviews—only 38% positive on Rotten Tomatoes—the film has struck a chord with audiences. Viewers have embraced it enthusiastically, giving it an “A-” CinemaScore. According to PostTrak, 61% of ticket buyers were female, and 66% were aged 25 or older.
“You don’t deliver this number unless you’re seeing huge numbers across every conceivable demographic,” says Lionsgate’s motion picture chair Adam Fogelson. “They’re clearly having a blast, and that bodes well for a lovely multiple.”
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, “Michael” traces the singer’s journey from his early days with the Jackson 5 to becoming one of the biggest entertainers in the world. Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, takes on the lead role in his acting debut. He is joined by Colman Domingo and Nia Long, who portray Michael’s parents, Joe and Katherine. However, critics have pointed out that the film presents a sanitized version of Jackson’s life, as it does not explore the child sexual abuse allegations that emerged later in his career.
Interestingly, that wasn’t always the plan. The original screenplay included scenes depicting a 1993 child molestation lawsuit involving Jackson. But these were removed after producers discovered a legal clause in the settlement that prohibited any depiction or mention of the accuser in film or television. Following a major rewrite of the third act, the story now concludes during the Bad tour in 1988. Lionsgate is already expected to move forward with at least one more film about Jackson’s life.
With a budget close to $200 million, “Michael” ranks among the most expensive biopics ever made. The cost was shared by Lionsgate, Universal (handling international distribution), and the Michael Jackson estate. Despite the challenges behind the scenes, the film is already proving to be a worthwhile investment.
In fact, “Michael” is Lionsgate’s biggest hit in over a decade, since The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 opened to $102 million. If global earnings cross the expected $700 million mark, it could join the studio’s all-time biggest films, alongside The Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($865 million), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 ($848 million), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 ($759 million). After a difficult 2024 marked by underperformers like Borderlands, The Crow, and White Bird, Lionsgate seems to be back on track with recent successes such as Now You See Me, Now You Don’t, The Housemaid, and The Long Walk.
Music biopics have been especially popular in recent years, with films based on artists like Amy Winehouse (“Back to Black”), Bob Dylan (“A Complete Unknown”), Bob Marley (“One Love”), Bruce Springsteen (“Deliver Me From Nowhere”), and Elvis Presley (“Elvis”). Like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Elvis,” “Michael” has resonated strongly with audiences by focusing on electrifying concert recreations. Iconic songs like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Beat It” have been brought to life on the big screen, making it a major draw for IMAX and other premium formats. IMAX alone contributed $13.8 million domestically (about 14% of ticket sales) and $24.5 million globally, marking its biggest opening for a musical biopic.
“The movie has audiences on their feet singing and dancing,” says David A. Gross. He notes that critics feel the film “avoids the complicated parts of the performer’s life.” In contrast, audiences are experiencing it as “playing as a feel good, nostalgic appreciation.”
As the only major release of the weekend, “Michael” easily dominated the North American box office. Meanwhile, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie slipped to second place after holding the top spot for three weeks, adding $21.2 million and bringing its totals to $384 million
domestically and over $800 million globally.
At No. 3, Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, earned $13.2 million in its sixth weekend—a strong performance that has pushed its totals to $305 million in North America and $613 million worldwide.
Elsewhere, A24’s Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway, brought in $1.3 million after expanding to more than 1,100 theatres, while Lorne, a documentary on Lorne Michaels, struggled with just $70,000 from 248 theatres.
The overall box office is finally seeing a positive trend, thanks to hits like Scream 7, “Project Hail Mary,” and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” along with A24’s indie success The Drama. According to Comscore, revenues are currently 15% ahead of where they were at this point in 2025.
Looking ahead, the momentum is expected to continue with upcoming releases like The Devil Wears Prada 2, followed by Mortal Kombat 2 and the “Star Wars” spinoff The Mandalorian and Grogu.
“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,” said Michael O’Leary. “Movie fan enthusiasm will continue to grow next weekend when ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ hits theaters worldwide.”
Media professional and journalist based in British Columbia, Canada. Founder of Studiox Film & TV Corporation, focusing on multicultural news, interviews, and community storytelling across Canada.
