"Michael," Starring Jaafar Jackson, Becomes First Biopic to Cross $1 Billion Globally

"Michael," the Michael Jackson biopic starring the late singer's real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, has crossed $1 billion at the global box office, becoming the first biographical film in history to reach the milestone. Lionsgate confirmed the film hit a cumulative worldwide total of $1.001 billion as of Sunday, generated from $629.8 million overseas and $371.8 million domestically, as it closed out its 12th weekend in theaters.

The achievement makes Michael only the second film of 2026 to cross the billion-dollar threshold, following the animated hit The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has earned $1.008 billion to date. It is also the first film in Lionsgate's history to reach $1 billion, surpassing the studio's previous high-water mark of $865 million set by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013.

A Record-Breaking Run

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael traces the pop star's journey from his childhood performing with the Jackson 5 through his rise as a solo artist behind the multi-platinum albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. The film opened April 24 to $97.2 million domestically, defying pre-release projections of $65 million to $70 million and shattering the previous opening-weekend record for a musical biopic, held by 2015's Straight Outta Compton at $60.2 million. Combined with international ticket sales, Michael opened to more than $217 million worldwide.

The film continued setting records throughout its run. On June 14, it surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody's $911 million to become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time. Two weeks later, on June 28, it overtook Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which had earned $975.8 million, to become the highest-grossing biopic ever made across any genre — before ultimately crossing the billion-dollar mark this past weekend.

A Difficult Path to the Screen

Michael's box office run stands in sharp contrast to a turbulent production process. The Jackson estate, which supported the film, flagged a legal issue tied to a settlement clause barring the production from depicting one of the singer's accusers, forcing filmmakers into costly reshoots reportedly totaling as much as $50 million and reworking the movie's entire third act. The change delayed the film's release by nearly a year and shifted its ending away from the child sexual abuse allegations that shadowed the final chapter of Jackson's life, focusing instead on his preparation for the 1987 Bad tour.

That decision has driven a sharp divide between critics and audiences. The film holds a critics' score in the high thirties on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers frequently citing the omission of the abuse allegations, while carrying a 97 percent audience score on the same platform — reflecting how disconnected professional criticism has been from ticket-buying moviegoers.

A Star-Making Debut

Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's real-life nephew, portrays his uncle in his acting debut, a role carrying significant personal and cultural weight given the family connection. He stars alongside Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine, with supporting performances from Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, and Mike Myers. Juliano Valdi plays a young Michael Jackson performing alongside his brothers in the Jackson 5.

The film's success has also translated into a resurgence for Jackson's music catalog, with streams of his songs nearly doubling in the days following the film's wide release, a boost that carries added financial significance for Sony Music, which acquired a large stake in Jackson's song rights in a deal valuing them at up to $1.5 billion.

Studio and Filmmaker Reactions

"Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with Michael is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew, and partners," director Antoine Fuqua said in a statement. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson credited the film's success to the studio's partnership with producer Graham King, Fuqua, the cast led by Jaafar Jackson, and collaboration with the Michael Jackson Estate. Universal Pictures International President Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said the film "resonated with moviegoers worldwide and transcended the screen to become a cultural phenomenon."

What's Next

With Michael's theatrical run continuing in select international markets including Japan, Lionsgate is reportedly already eyeing at least one additional film chronicling further chapters of Jackson's life, with the current film ending on the words "The Story Continues." The studio is expected to shift focus toward awards season campaigning in the coming months, following the precedent set by Bohemian Rhapsody, which despite similarly poor reviews went on to earn five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.