"Michael" Hits $977 Million, Overtakes "Oppenheimer" as Top-Grossing Biopic
Updated
Updated · Variety · Jun 28
"Michael" Hits $977 Million, Overtakes "Oppenheimer" as Top-Grossing Biopic
3 articles · Updated · Variety · Jun 28
Summary
"Michael" reached $977 million worldwide, edging past "Oppenheimer"'s $975 million to become the highest-grossing biopic ever.
The film built that total with $607.2 million overseas and $370.2 million domestically since April, after opening to $97 million in the U.S. and $217 million globally.
Word of mouth, repeat viewings and marketing centered on concert and music-video recreations kept the Antoine Fuqua film strong through the summer, even as critics faulted its omission of abuse allegations against Michael Jackson.
The movie had already passed "Bohemian Rhapsody"'s $911 million to become the biggest musical biopic and is now Lionsgate's top-grossing release, beating 2013's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" at $865 million.
With the film nearing $1 billion, Lionsgate is expected to greenlight at least one more movie about Jackson's life.