The Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has become the second highest-grossing biopic of all time, earning $577 million worldwide in its first three weeks.
According to people.com, citing the data reported on May 11, the film surpassed the $288.7 million lifetime earnings of Elvis, leaving it trailing only the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody in the genre’s all-time rankings.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film secured its record-breaking position after a $95 million intake during its third weekend. The total gross includes $240.4 million from the domestic market and $336.88 million internationally. The production has seen particular success in Europe and Australia, debuting at number one in France with $7.2 million.
The film stars Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the late singer, and follows Jackson’s life from his childhood in the Jackson 5 through to the peak of his early solo career in 1988. The cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, alongside Miles Teller and Mike Myers in supporting roles.
Michael has set several industry benchmarks since its April 24 premiere, including the strongest opening weekend for a biopic with a $314 million global debut. This performance eclipsed the previous record held by 2015’s Straight Outta Compton. It currently stands as the second-largest cinematic opening of 2026, behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Scripted by John Logan, the project was developed with the cooperation of the Jackson estate. While the narrative provides an intimate look at the performer’s professional rise, the production has faced scrutiny for concluding its timeline in the late 1980s, thereby omitting the legal controversies and allegations that marked the singer’s later years.
The commercial success of Michael underscores a continuing trend of high-performing musical biopics. However, its exclusion of Jackson’s later controversies has sparked debate among critics regarding the objectivity of estate-authorised productions versus their significant box office appeal.
