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'Michael' becomes first biopic to cross $1 billion at global box office
Jaafar Jackson stars as the King of Pop in Antoine Fuqua's record-breaking film
- PUBLISHED: Mon 13 Jul 2026, 10:30 AM
- By:
- ANI
Jaafar Jackson's Michael has become the first biopic in cinema history to surpass $1 billion at the global box office, according to Variety.
The Michael Jackson biopic has earned $629.8 million internationally and $371.8 million domestically, taking its worldwide total to $1.001 billion.
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The film has been breaking records since its theatrical release in April. It opened to $97 million in North America and $217 million globally, setting a new opening weekend record for a musical biopic and surpassing Straight Outta Compton.
In another milestone, Michael has overtaken Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed $911 million worldwide, to become the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time. It also marks Lionsgate's biggest film ever and the studio's first release to cross the $1 billion mark.
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Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael follows the journey of the late music icon from his early days with the Jackson 5 to his rise as the King of Pop.
Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portrays the singer in his acting debut. The cast also includes Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Michael's parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson.
The project was developed with the support of several members of Jackson's family years after the singer's death in 2009 at the age of 50.
According to the film's official synopsis, Michael offers an "honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated" music icon. The story concludes in 1988, focusing on Jackson's rise to global superstardom and does not cover the allegations that emerged later in his life, according to People.