Michael Jackson’s biopic Michael is doing exceptionally well in the international box office scene, having earned US$97 million at home and US$217 million abroad during its first weekend, as per reports by Variety.
This is the best ever performance by any biopic. It is noteworthy that the highest debut of a biographical film was held by Straight Outta Compton (2015). In addition, the movie is doing better than the opening performance of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), which had earned US$51 million at home during its first weekend.
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Record debut, strong global response
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Lionsgate, Michael has quickly emerged as one of the biggest cinematic releases of the year. It currently stands as the second-highest global opener of 2026, behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Variety reported.
The film stars Jaafar Jackson, nephew of Michael Jackson, in the lead role. The supporting cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, alongside Miles Teller, Laura Harrier and Larenz Tate.
Legacy debate resurfaces
With the release of Michael, there is another debate regarding the legacy of the late pop star. Fans are celebrating their idol's contribution to music and dance while at the same time the controversy surrounding the latter period of his life gets discussed again.
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Jaafar Jackson, addressing People magazine, commented on how he felt watching the movie. He said, "As soon as it came on, it was a completely different experience than what I thought it was going to be… the second time I saw it was a completely different experience." As Jaafar Jackson explained, the movie gave him an opportunity to see another side of the story when watching for a second time.
The movie chronicles the life journey of Michael from a child artist into one of the most prominent performers in pop culture.
