The King of Pop is now the king of the biopic box office, too.
A new record
Michael, the long-gestating Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua, has grossed about $977.4 million worldwide, edging past Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer — which finished its run at roughly $975.8 million — to become the highest-grossing biopic in history, Deadline reported. The margin is thin, around $1.6 million, but with the film still playing in some markets it is expected to widen.
The picture has earned about $370.2 million domestically and $607.2 million internationally, according to Variety, a reflection of the global pull of the Jackson name. Jaafar Jackson, the late singer's nephew, plays the title role — a casting choice that drew heavy scrutiny well before release but has plainly not kept audiences away.
Two crowns
Michael had already become the highest-grossing music biopic ever, passing 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody and its roughly $911 million worldwide haul, TheWrap noted. Now it holds both records — biggest music biopic and biggest biopic, period.
What makes the milestone notable is the pace. Oppenheimer built its total over a long theatrical run; Michael reached the mark by its tenth weekend on a much shorter window before moving toward home viewing. Front-loaded or not, the result is the same line in the record book.
What's next
With the film still in theaters in several territories, Michael is within range of a milestone no biopic has ever reached: $1 billion worldwide. Whether it gets there will depend on how long it holds in remaining markets. Either way, a genre long associated with awards prestige rather than blockbuster grosses has a new commercial high-water mark — and, fittingly, it belongs to one of the most famous entertainers who ever lived.
