Michael (2026): The Highest-Grossing Biopic of all time
Music Biography Films often generate huge anticipation when they focus on artists whose influence and shape generations. The studio discovers key points into a setting of expectations offering a performance, tone and how the story will approach such a massive legacy. However, most critics consider if the studio is portraying every detail of the figure’s life in a dramatic form. Whether it is against allegations, drug abuse, or any typical flaws to display the downfall of the artists’ demeanor. On April 24, 2026, a musical film Michael (Michael Jackson biopic) written by John Logan, directed by Antoine Fuqua, produced by Graham King, and starring Jaafar Jackson, the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine Jackson. The Michael Jackson biopic is the most highly anticipated biography films ever released since Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Straight Outta Compton (2015), the film Michael has opened $217.4M globally in its first weekend, including European markets (France - $17M, U.K./Ireland - $15M, Germany - $8M, Italy - $7M, Spain - $6M). Within two weeks the film grossed $425M and then within a month it surpassed $851M at global box office, also opening at #1 in Russia.
On June 12, 2026, Michael film was officially opened in Japan distributed in the region by Kino Films and it launches a massive global success earns $2.3M on its first day. Michael ($977.4M) is setting a record to its worldwide total past $900M and has now officially become the highest-grossing biopic of all time with a budget of $155M, surpassing Oppenheimer ($976M). On July 12, 2026, within three months, the film Michael crosses $1 billion at box office which determines to be Lionsgate first $1 billion dollar film. The musical biographical drama film had a highly anticipated audience with honest feedback meanwhile the critics wanted the studio to showcase Michael’s allegations, which it didn’t follow in the timeline in the film to begin with, for starters who is “complaining about all this other stuff, but the movie ends in ’88,” Spike Lee. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of The Jackson 5, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit of becoming the biggest entertainer in the world. Also explores his relationship with his father Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo), the curiosity through Michael’s early performances for the efficiency to pursue his breakout solo career up to the massive success of the “Bad World” Tour, late 1980s.
The film was phenomenal in the perspective of Michael’s legacy which explores his artistry in music, performance, music videos that show his remarkable talent by his nephew Jaafar, and by a young actor Jayden Harville with the outstanding choreography. Combining dramatic storytelling with reactions of legendary stage and iconic moments, also by another amazing actor Coleman Domingo who portrays Joe Jackson. With an outstanding performance he accomplishes on screen. But my problem is with the credits is they viewed Joe Jackson as a bad person / father, a vindictive citizen who’s reinforce his children into adolescence.
