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michael 97 million - jafaar jackson as michael jackson
Box office roundup

Michael opens to $97 million, $217 million global debut

Jeffrey Lyles , , , , ,

Lionsgate/Universal’s risky gambit paid off as the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, is proving to be the king of the biopics after a massive $97 million domestic and $217 million global box office opening weekend.

There were understandably some concerns if Jackson’s tarnished legacy would impact box office sales. Worldwide audiences proved those worries weren’t justified as Jackson fans turned out in droves to see Michael.

Michael’s $97 million debut numbers are based on early Sunday estimates. That still leaves open the possibility that the film could cross $100 million by the time final numbers roll in on Monday. Even if the estimates hold true, Michael’s $97 million moonwalked all over the previous biopic debut record holder of Oppenheimer, which opened to $82.4 million.

Oppenheimer also benefitted from an unlikely synergy with the Barbie movie, which also opened that July 23, 2023, weekend creating the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon. Barbie earned an impressive $162 million that weekend. Oppenheimer went on to earn $174 million worldwide and received a slew of accolades including the 2023 Oscar Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.). 

Michael likely won’t get that kind of love come award season despite raves for star Jaafar Jackson and supporting actor Colman Domingo. The film currently sits at 38% on Rotten Tomatoes. Conversely, it has an A- CinemaScore indicating that word of mouth should be positive and keep the film a box office force over the next few weeks.

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The next question is how far can Michael soar after its $97 million debut? Bohemian Rhapsody, a similar style biopic, earned $910.8 million worldwide with an A CinemaScore. It had a higher hill to climb with a $50 million opening weekend in 2018 compared to Michael’s $97 million. Oppenheimer holds the current record for highest grossing biopic at $975 million, which seems like it could be in range for Michael given its opening weekend success.

Disney’s The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuts May 1, which seems like the biggest challenger. The original debuted 20 years ago to $124.7 million so it’ll be interesting to see if the fans are excited to revisit Miranda and company or it will pose a significant threat to Michael’s box office.

Michael’s $97 million debut finally dethroned the previous box office champ, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which still holds the spot for best 2026 opening with $131 million. Mario Galaxy earned $21.2 million to reach $384 million domestically and over $800 million worldwide.

Project Hail Mary fell to third place with $13.2 million. In its sixth weekend, the film’s total is now $305 million and $613 million globally.

Photo Credit: Lionsgate

After watching Michael, check out his landmark record-breaking album, Thriller, on Amazon.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

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