Despite receiving largely negative reviews from critics before and after its release, the musical drama has emerged as one of the biggest commercial successes of 2026. If it crosses the milestone in the coming days, Michael will become only the second film released this year to surpass $1 billion globally.
Released in theaters on April 24, the PG-13 film stars Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of the late Michael Jackson, in the lead role. Juliano Valde portrays the pop icon during his childhood years alongside his brothers in the Jackson Five.
The film exceeded industry expectations from its opening weekend. Early projections estimated a domestic debut between $65 million and $70 million, but Michael opened with an impressive $97.2 million across 3,955 North American theaters. Combined with international earnings, the movie generated more than $217 million worldwide during its first three days in cinemas.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Academy Award nominee John Logan, the biopic chronicles Michael Jackson's rise from his early days with the Jackson Five to his transformation into one of the world's biggest solo artists through landmark albums such as Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. The story concludes with Jackson preparing for his Bad solo tour.
The cast also features Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Michael's parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson, while Miles Teller portrays longtime manager John Branca.
Global earnings close in on $1 billion
Now entering its 12th week in theaters, Michael has earned $371.6 million domestically and an additional $620.1 million from international markets, bringing its worldwide total to $991.7 million.
Although its North American theatrical run is slowing—it earned $492,000 between July 3 and July 5—the film continues to perform strongly overseas, particularly in Japan.
Since opening in Japanese cinemas on June 12, the film has already collected $24.4 million, with analysts expecting demand to remain strong due to Michael Jackson's enduring popularity in the country.
Japan has long been one of Jackson's strongest international markets. His 2009 concert documentary Michael Jackson's This Is It earned $57 million there, suggesting that Michael still has room to grow before ending its theatrical run.
Industry observers believe the film could surpass the $1 billion milestone as early as this weekend.
Should it narrowly miss the target, Lionsgate could consider re-releasing the movie later this year as awards season approaches, giving it another opportunity to boost ticket sales.
Awards hopes remain alive despite critical reception
While critics largely dismissed the film, its commercial performance has reignited conversations about its awards prospects.
The situation mirrors that of the 2018 Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which also faced harsh reviews but went on to receive five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. The film ultimately won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Rami Malek.
The comparison is particularly noteworthy because both films share the same producer, Graham King, whose track record with music biopics has proven commercially successful.
'Michael' breaks long-standing box office records
Even before reaching the $1 billion milestone, Michael has already rewritten the record books.
On June 14, less than two months after its theatrical debut, the film surpassed the $911 million worldwide total of Bohemian Rhapsody to become the highest-grossing music biopic in cinema history.
Just two weeks later, on June 28, it achieved another milestone by overtaking the $976.7 million global earnings of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, making it the highest-grossing biographical film of any genre ever released.
The movie remains in release across approximately 270 North American theaters while continuing its international rollout, with Japan expected to provide the final push toward another historic achievement.
If Michael crosses the $1 billion threshold, it will join The Super Mario Galaxy Movie as the only films released in 2026 to reach the landmark figure.
Reflecting on the market reaction, the film's remarkable performance underscores how audience enthusiasm can differ sharply from critical opinion, as Michael continues to attract moviegoers around the world despite mixed reviews.