'Michael' moonwalks to $97 million opening, shattering record for music
biopics
[April 27, 2026]
By JAKE COYLE
NEW YORK (AP) — "Michael," the big-budget Michael Jackson spectacle,
shrugged off bad reviews and a troubled production to launch with $97
million in U.S. and Canada theaters, according to studio estimates
Sunday, shattering a record debut for music biopics.
A highly authorized portrayal of the King of Pop, co-produced by the
Jackson estate, Lionsgate’s “Michael” far surpassed previous biopic top
performers like “Straight Outta Compton” (a $60.2 million debut in 2015)
and “Bohemian Rhapsody” ($51 million in 2018).
International sales were also strong. “Michael” collected $120.4 million
overseas, to give it a $217.4 million global opening — a new high for a
music biopic. Universal picked up distribution in most international
markets.
A few weeks back, estimates for “Michael” were closer to $50 million.
Going into the weekend, the studio estimated closer to $70 million. But
it wildly overperformed.
"From the beginning, all of the signals were that something like this
was possible," said Adam Fogelson, Lionsgate chairman. “We were seeing
massive engagement with every conceivable audience segment that you
could identify.”
Even in the lucrative market of music biopics, “Michael” was an
audacious bet by Lionsgate on an extraordinarily popular but
controversial figure. The reputation of Jackson, who died in 2009 at the
age of 50, has been repeatedly tarnished by allegations of sexual abuse
of children. Jackson and his estate have maintained his innocence,
though the pop star acknowledged sharing a bedroom with other people’s
children. He was acquitted in his sole criminal trial in 2005.
Some Jackson family members opposed the film. Janet Jackson was
uninvolved and doesn’t appear in it. Jackson’s daughter, Paris, called
it “fantasy land.” But three years after “Leaving Neverland,” the 2009
documentary about Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse of children, “Bohemian
Rhapsody” producer Graham King announced plans for the biopic. Jackson’s
nephew, Jaafar Jackson, was cast to star.
“Michael” had an unusually rocky production. After shooting was
completed, producers realized they had made a costly mistake. The third
act focused on the accusations of Jordan Chandler, then 13 years old,
whom Jackson paid $23 million to in a 1994 settlement. The terms of that
settlement barred the Jackson estate from ever mentioning Chandler in a
movie.
A huge chunk of the film had to be cut. Reshoots for as much as $50
million were done at the estate’s expense. Director Antoine Fuqua and
screenwriter John Logan reworked the movie to conclude in 1988, before
any accusations were made.
“I would take issue with the idea that we as a studio or as filmmakers
were running around in a panic," said Fogelson. “It was definitely a
unique and challenging circumstance to figure out how to work through.
But it created an opportunity to tell more story than any one film could
possibly contain.”
Yet as bad as things once looked for “Michael,” the movie turned into a
huge hit. The film’s total production cost came close to $200 million.
To defray costs, Lionsgate sold international distribution rights to
Universal. A sequel is in development. A third film after that, Fogelson
said, is “not inconceivable.”
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This image released by Lionsgate shows Jaafar Jackson as Michael
Jackson in a scene from "Michael." (Glen Wilson/Lionsgate via AP)
 “The audience spoke loud and clear,"
Fogelson said. “The portion of Michael's life that this story tells
couldn't have gotten into those allegations because the allegations
themselves hadn't happened in the period this movie existed. I think
the audience is judging it on those terms. We'll see what happens as
we move into the possibility of subsequent films.”
Critics slammed the film for glossing over some of the less
convenient aspects of Jackson’s life. It scored a paltry 38% on
Rotten Tomatoes. But audiences were far more enthusiastic. “Michael”
earned an “A-” CinemaScore.
“It’s only human nature to enjoy yourself at the movie theater,”
said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Comscore.
“The movie was perfectly positioned ahead of the start of the summer
movie season which launches later this week with the ‘The Devil
Wears Prada 2’ that is also poised to outpace even the most generous
opening weekend projections.”
The opening for “Michael” added to a strong spring for Hollywood
boosted by box-office hits like Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary” and
Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” After three weeks atop
the box office, the “Mario” sequel slid to second place, with $21.2
million. In four weeks, it’s collected $386.5 million domestically
and $445 million internationally.
Meanwhile, “Project Hail Mary” surged past $600 million worldwide in
its sixth weekend of release. The film's total haul for Amazon MGM
stands at $305.3 million domestic and $613.3 million globally.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors
in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and
Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. “Michael,” $97 million.
2. “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” $21.2 million.
3. “Project Hail Mary,” $13.2 million.
4. “Lee Cronin's The Mummy,” $5.6 million.
5. “The Drama,” $2.6 million.
6. “Hoppers,” $1.9 million.
7. “You, Me & Tuscany,” $1.5 million.
8. “Over Your Dead Body,” $1.4 million.
9. “Mother Mary,” $1.2 million.
10. “American Youngboy,” $1.2 million.
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