Michael is the highest-grossing music biopic in history
With a box office total of nearly $1 billion, the controversial Michael Jackson movie has surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody’s total.
Michael, the biopic chronicling the early life of the late popstar Michael Jackson, has become the highest-grossing music biopic in the genre’s history. The film has raked in $911.9 million dollars worldwide since its release in April, including $358.6 million domestically.
In taking the title, Michael has dethroned 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody, the Rami Malek-starring exploration of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Michael has also become the second-highest grossing biopic of any kind, falling short only of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The film has also broken box office records for: largest global opening weekend ever for a musical biopic; largest domestic opening weekend for a musical biopic; highest-grossing worldwide release for a Lionsgate film; and unique gross records in France, Mexico, and Brazil.
The movie, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar (the son of Jermaine Jackson), has reignited both fervent support for the star and scrutiny due to the series of sexual abuse and pedophilia allegations against the musician, which were famously chronicled in 2019’s Leaving Neverland.
The MJ biopic was originally scheduled for release in 2025, but the date was postponed due to a clause in a 20-year-old settlement Jackson’s estate had with Jordan Chandler, who accused the singer of sexually abusing him at age 13 in 1993. The clause explicitly forbade Chandler being depicted in any future film about Jackson’s life. The original ending of Michael focused on Chandler’s allegations, but due to the clause, a new third act had to be filmed. The ending of the movie now follows Jackson’s preparation for his 1987 Bad tour.
As a result, some critics have accused the filmmakers of glossing over Jackson’s allegations; Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of minor intoxication in 2003, and though he was acquitted on all counts, many additional accusers have come forward since his death in 2009. The movie’s production team has already hinted at a sequel.
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