'Michael' opened to $97M domestic and $217.4M worldwide this weekend, the biggest biopic opening in box office history and the second-biggest opening of 2026 behind 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.' Tracking had it at $50-65M, but the film moonwalked right past. That overperformance is impressive given everything that went sideways during production:
- The entire third act had to be tossed and reshot after estate lawyers discovered a settlement clause barring the onscreen depiction of one of Jackson's accusers, Jordan Chandler
- Reshoots ran $15M, pushing the budget to around $200M
- Screenwriter John Logan's home was damaged in the Palisades fire, adding more delay
- The film landed over a year past its original release date
Critics largely panned it (38% on Rotten Tomatoes), citing the film's conspicuous omission of the child sexual abuse allegations that defined much of Jackson's later career. It didn’t seem to matter to audiences: CinemaScore A-, 97% on RT's audience meter. The gap between critic and audience reception is one of the widest in recent memory for a film this size.
It's also another reminder that music biopics remain one of the few genres audiences will reliably leave the house for. 'Bohemian Rhapsody' made $910M. 'Elvis' crossed $288M. 'A Complete Unknown' pulled $140M. Now 'Michael' has reset the ceiling. And there's plenty more coming: Sony's releasing four Sam Mendes-directed Beatles films in 2028 (one per Beatle), and Universal just announced a Snoop Dogg biopic at CinemaCon.
Looking ahead… For Lionsgate, it's a genuine lifeline after a rough couple of years. If Michael hits $700M worldwide (looking increasingly doable), a sequel is reportedly locked, with up to 30% of cut footage usable. And Japan, where Jackson was practically national infrastructure, hasn't even opened yet.
