Pop
Michael Jackson movie makes history by becoming highest-grossing biopic after smashing Oppenheimer record
Antoine Fuqua's movie Michael - which focuses on the rise of pop legend Michael Jackson - has overtaken Oppenheimer to become the highest-grossing biopic ever made.
Michael Jackson’s big-screen life story has moonwalked into the history books after smashing another major box office record.
Just weeks after becoming the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, Michael has now overtaken Oppenheimer to become the highest-grossing biopic ever made, regardless of subject.
According to Variety, director Antoine Fuqua's film has now grossed an astonishing $977 million (£739 million) worldwide, edging past Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning drama about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, which earned $975.8 million globally during its hugely successful theatrical run.
The latest milestone caps an extraordinary run for the authorised biopic, which had already surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody to become the biggest musical biopic in cinema history.
Credit: Lionsgate
Released in April, Michael chronicles the King of Pop's rise from his childhood with the The Jackson 5 to his emergence as one of the biggest solo artists in music history. Michael's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, takes on the title role, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying his parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson.
The film made an immediate impact at the global box office, earning $217 million during its opening week and setting new records for a musical biopic. It has since become Lionsgate's highest-grossing film ever, surpassing The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
The commercial success is even more remarkable considering Oppenheimer benefited from the worldwide "Barbenheimer" phenomenon in 2023, when internet memes and social media buzz encouraged audiences to see Christopher Nolan's historical epic alongside Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Despite that unprecedented cultural moment, Michael has now claimed the all-time biopic crown.
While audiences have embraced the film, critical opinion has been far more divided.
Reviewers praised Jaafar Jackson's uncanny performance and the recreation of Michael Jackson's iconic performances, music videos and stage shows, but many critics argued the authorised biopic presented an overly sanitised account of the singer's life.
Credit: Lionsgate
Several reviews criticised the film for omitting the child sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson, which he consistently denied during his lifetime. Reports indicated legal complications surrounding an historic non-disclosure agreement resulted in material relating to the allegations being removed during production.
Despite the mixed critical reception, fans have overwhelmingly supported the film, giving it significantly stronger audience scores than professional reviewers across review aggregation sites.
The film's success has also sparked a renewed surge in interest in Jackson's music.
His catalogue has enjoyed a dramatic streaming revival since the film's release, with Jackson becoming the UK's most-streamed artist on YouTube over the past month. His classic hit Billie Jean is currently Spotify's most-played song worldwide, while The Essential Michael Jackson has climbed back to the top of the UK albums chart.
According to Variety, Lionsgate is also expected to expand the story, with at least one further film about Jackson's life reportedly planned.
