There’s a new box office leader—and it didn’t come quietly.
Michael has officially delivered the biggest biopic opening of all time, debuting to $97 million domestically and $217 million globally. The Antoine Fuqua-directed film outpaced early projections and surged past every comparable title in the genre.
For context, Straight Outta Compton previously held the crown for music biopics with a $60 million opening, while Oppenheimer—long considered the benchmark for biographical openings—launched with $82.4 million domestically. Michael clears both with room to spare.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the film traces the rise of Michael Jackson from his Jackson 5 beginnings to global superstardom. Leading the cast is Jaafar Jackson, alongside Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Larenz Tate, and Mike Myers.
Despite landing with mixed-to-negative critical reviews (hovering around the high 30s on Rotten Tomatoes), audience reception tells a different story. The film earned an A- CinemaScore and strong exit scores, signaling that word-of-mouth could carry it well beyond opening weekend.
And that momentum is already visible.
Michael now stands as:
- The biggest biopic debut ever (domestic and global)
- The biggest music biopic opening of all time
- Lionsgate’s strongest debut in over a decade
- The second-biggest opening weekend of 2026, behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Globally, the film’s $217 million start also marks one of the strongest launches of the year, immediately placing it among 2026’s top-grossing titles after just one weekend.
With a reported production budget near $200 million and early projections pointing toward a $700M+ global finish, Michael isn’t just a hit—it’s shaping up to be one of the defining box office stories of the year.
And if this opening is any indication, the story might not stop here.
Originally read on THR.