‘Michael’ breaks record as highest-grossing biopic of all time with $977 million in earnings

The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has officially made history, becoming the highest-grossing biographical film ever after surpassing Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer at the global box office. The film has now generated $977 million worldwide, ending Oppenheimer’s three-year reign as the most commercially successful biopic ever made.

The achievement caps off a trajectory that began building weeks ago. The movie crossed the $800 million mark in late May, putting it firmly on track to overtake Oppenheimer’s $952 million global gross.

Oppenheimer, released in 2023 and led by Cillian Murphy’s acclaimed portrayal of the physicist who led the development of the atomic bomb, had set an extraordinarily high bar, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and redefining what a serious biographical drama could earn commercially.

Michael’s path there came fast. The film opened with $217 million globally in its first week in April, $97 million domestically and $121.6 million internationally, already making it the highest-grossing musical biopic debut ever, surpassing both Bohemian Rhapsody and Straight Outta Compton. It recouped roughly 110% of its $200 million production budget within just two days of release.

The film has also become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release in studio history, overtaking The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

What makes the milestone particularly notable is the context. Oppenheimer’s success in 2023 was significantly boosted by the viral “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, when audiences flocked to cinemas to watch Barbie and Oppenheimer back to back following widespread internet memes around their simultaneous release. Michael achieved its record without that kind of cultural tailwind, relying instead on the strength of its musical recreations and Jaafar Jackson’s performance as his late uncle.

A box office triumph and a critical divide for the Michael movie

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film follows the singer’s life from his early days in the Jackson 5 to his rise as the King of Pop, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying his parents. Jaafar Jackson’s performance has drawn widespread praise, but the film itself has split critics sharply.

Much of the criticism centres on the film’s decision not to address the sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson, following a historic non-disclosure agreement that led to the removal of scenes referencing the claims. The Telegraph said the film “refuses to address the elephant in the room,” while The Independent called it a “ghoulish, soulless cash grab.”

The Hollywood Reporter struck a more sympathetic tone, saying it “delivers for lifelong fans who cherish the music.”

Audiences, however, have rated the film significantly higher than critics on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. The film is financially backed by Michael Jackson’s estate and features his original vocals throughout its musical sequences. Variety reports that Lionsgate plans to release at least one more film exploring later chapters of Jackson’s life.

The film’s success has also reignited global interest in Jackson’s catalogue. He has been the most-streamed artist on YouTube in the United Kingdom over the past month, recording roughly twice as many plays as Drake, while Billie Jean is currently the most-played song globally on Spotify.

His compilation album, The Essential Michael Jackson, reclaimed the number one spot on the UK albums chart following the film’s release.

Similar read: Michael crosses $800M globally, now hunting down Oppenheimer’s all-time biopic record