The film starring Jaafar Jackson earned $97 million domestically and $217 million globally in its opening weekend, setting records for biographical films.
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The biographical film "Michael," centered on the life of Michael Jackson, debuted with $97 million in the United States and Canada and reached $217 million globally during its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.
The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as the pop icon, set records for biographical movies. It surpassed "Straight Outta Compton" (2015), which opened with $60 million, and "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018), which debuted with $51 million before closing with $910 million globally. "Michael" achieved the second-best opening of 2026, behind only "Super Mario Galaxy: la película."
Within four days of release, the film had earned $218 million worldwide. In Argentina alone, 258,000 viewers attended screenings during the opening period.
Jaafar Jackson, a relative of Michael Jackson, took on the lead role, recreating the pop star's distinctive appearance, iconic choreography, gestures, and mannerisms. During performances in the film, Jaafar Jackson sang live, according to statements he made during an appearance on the TODAY show with Jenna and Sheinelle.
Prince Jackson, the eldest son of Michael Jackson, described his reaction upon seeing his cousin in the role for the first time. "The first time I saw him in person, with the hair and makeup, it was really an emotional shock, because I hadn't seen my father in a long time," the 29-year-old told ABC News. Prince Jackson said the family's reaction to the biographical film was "overwhelmingly positive," with some family members attending the premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.
Adam Fogelson, president of the film division at Lionsgate, announced plans for a sequel to the biographical film. Fogelson stated that the studio had spent months preparing for a possible follow-up and wanted to gauge fan reaction first. "We will work over the next few weeks to define the plan. We have approximately 30 percent of a second film thanks to material already filmed, and we will work with the entire team to inform you about our plan in the coming weeks," Fogelson said.
Despite receiving mostly negative reviews, with a 38 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film's box office performance demonstrated significant commercial appeal among audiences.
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