Michael Biopic Is About to Hit $1 Billion — How Jaafar Jackson's Film Defied Critics and Made History

Michael Biopic Is About to Hit $1 Billion — How Jaafar Jackson's Film Defied Critics and Made History

When Lionsgate announced a Michael Jackson biopic starring the King of Pop's own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the internet had opinions. When early reviews dropped, critics weren't kind. But 12 weeks later? Michael is sitting at $991.7 million worldwide and is about to become only the second film in 2026 to cross the $1 billion mark. Yeah, the audience won this round.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) and written by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator), Michael hit theaters on April 24 and immediately blew past expectations. Pre-release tracking had it pegged at a $65-70 million opening weekend. It made $97.2 million domestically and $217 million globally in its first three days. Not bad for a film critics tried to bury.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Let's break down the receipts because they're honestly wild:

• Domestic total: $371.6 million
• International total: $620.1 million
• Japan alone: $30.5 million since June 12 (and still climbing — Japan has a massive Jackson fanbase)
• Current worldwide: $991.7 million and counting

The only other 2026 release to hit the billion-dollar club so far is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($1.01 billion). Michael is about to join some very exclusive company — and it's doing it as an R-rated-free, PG-13 musical biopic, not a superhero tentpole or animated juggernaut.

Along the way, Michael has already shattered records. It surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody to become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time. It also overtook Oppenheimer to claim the title of highest-grossing biopic ever, period. For a film that critics called everything from "hagiographic" to "problematic," the box office tells a very different story.

Who's in It and What's It About

Jaafar Jackson leads the cast in his breakout role, and by all accounts, his performance is a huge reason the film connected with audiences. The resemblance is uncanny (obviously — genetics), but critics and fans alike praised his ability to capture both the electrifying stage presence and the vulnerability behind the icon.

The 127-minute PG-13 film spans Jackson's journey from his Jackson Five beginnings through his solo explosion with albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, wrapping up as he embarks on the 1998 Bad world tour. Juliano Valde plays young Michael during the Jackson Five era, while Colman Domingo and Nia Long portray parents Joe and Katherine Jackson. Miles Teller rounds out the cast as longtime manager John Branca.

The supporting cast also includes Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, and Mike Myers, with cinematography by Dion Beebe (Memoirs of a Geisha) and editing handled by a powerhouse team including John Ottman and Tom Cross.

What This Means for Lionsgate

This is a massive win for Lionsgate, the last major independent studio in Hollywood. Bigger studios passed on Michael as too risky — a $155 million budget for a music biopic with a first-time lead actor and a controversial subject. But Lionsgate, alongside GK Films and the Jackson estate's Optimum Productions, took the gamble. It paid off spectacularly.

Even if Michael doesn't cross the $1 billion line this weekend, a theatrical re-release during awards season seems inevitable. The film has already proven that audiences are hungry for musical stories on the big screen — and that critics' scores don't always reflect what people actually want to watch.

Bottom line: Michael is a phenomenon. Whether you love it, hate it, or just want to see Jaafar Jackson moonwalk, the numbers don't lie. One billion is basically a formality at this point.

Which 2026 movie do you think will hit $1 billion next? Drop your predictions in the comments!