Michael Tops $1 Billion Worldwide, First Biopic to Hit Milestone
Updated
Updated · Variety · Jul 12
Michael Tops $1 Billion Worldwide, First Biopic to Hit Milestone
3 articles · Updated · Variety · Jul 12
Summary
$1.001 billion in global ticket sales made “Michael” the first biopic ever to cross the box-office benchmark, with $629.8 million overseas and $371.8 million domestically.
A $97 million domestic debut and $217 million global opening set the pace in April, and strong word-of-mouth plus repeat viewings kept the Michael Jackson film drawing through the summer.
The haul pushed “Michael” past “Bohemian Rhapsody” at $911 million as the top-grossing musical biopic and above “Oppenheimer” at $975 million as the biggest film based on a real person.
Lionsgate also scored its first $1 billion release and biggest film ever, while only one other 2026 title — Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” at $1.008 billion — has reached the mark so far.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as his uncle, the film’s success is expected to spur Lionsgate to greenlight at least one more movie about Jackson’s life.