Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' breaks global box‑office records

Antoine Fuqua’s biographical film “Michael,” starring Jaafar Jackson as his famed uncle, opened in April 2026 and has become the highest‑grossing music biopic and the highest‑grossing biographical film of any kind, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

The movie has shown extraordinary staying power, especially in Russia where, 33 days after release, it remains the number‑one film, pulling more than $22 million from roughly three million admissions and contributing to a CIS total of nearly $27 million. Similar endurance has been observed in Japan, Brazil, Australia, South Korea and the Middle East, helping the picture push past the $1 billion worldwide milestone – the second film to do so in 2026 after “Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

Lionsgate carried out $50 million of reshoots after the Jackson estate raised concerns over a plot point involving an accuser, inflating the budget. The estate’s co‑executor John Branca praised the unprecedented global reaction, and a sequel has already been confirmed, with additional footage already shot. The film has also drawn criticism for largely avoiding the singer’s childhood abuse allegations, and Paris Jackson said her script notes were ignored.