Michael Jackson Biopic Reclaims Box-Office Crown in Fourth Weekend

Antoine Fuqua’s *Michael* retook the domestic #1 spot in its fourth weekend, earning $26.1 million and lifting its U.S. total to $282.8 million. The worldwide gross now stands at $703.8 million, placing the film second only to *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* among 2026 releases.

“Michael” Box Office Report: Week 3 Global Breakdown

The film opened on April 24, 2026, starring Jaafar Jackson—Michael Jackson’s nephew—in his first lead role. It set a music-biopic opening record with $97.2 million and has since outperformed the previous domestic record held by *Bohemian Rhapsody* ($216 million). Japan, a major market, is slated to open the film on June 12, leaving its final total uncertain.

‘Michael’ Reigns! Michael Jackson Biopic Surges Past $700 Million at Global Box Office

• Domestic: $282.8 million (?40 % of total)

Weekend Box Office: Michael Dances Its Way Back to No. 1

• International: $421 million (?60 % of total)

“Michael” Box Office Report: Week 3 Global Breakdown

• Top overseas markets: United Kingdom $45.38 million, France $32.35 million, Italy $21.22 million, Germany $19.70 million, Spain $18.86 million, Netherlands $7.77 million.

“Michael” Box Office Report: Week 3 Global Breakdown

• Latin America: Mexico $22.82 million, Brazil $21.34 million, Colombia $9.24 million, Peru $6.67 million.

“Michael” Box Office Report: Week 3 Global Breakdown

• Asia-Pacific: Australia $19.12 million, China $9.54 million, India $6.37 million; South Korea joined the rollout this week.

“Michael” Box Office Report: Week 3 Global Breakdown

At $703.8 million, *Michael* is within striking distance of *Bohemian Rhapsody*’s $911 million worldwide record and could become the highest-grossing music biopic ever. Its sustained hold—over a 30 % drop from the opening weekend—demonstrates rare longevity for a genre film and underscores Michael Jackson’s enduring global appeal.

Just Jared

Comscore’s head of marketplace trends Paul Dergarabedian noted, “Spirits are rather high given the strength of the year-to-date box office.” He added, “The industry is feeling optimistic for a solid Memorial weekend with the remarkable long-term playability of holdovers, along with ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu.’” Analyst David A. Gross observed that the film’s performance “keeps on giving” and positions it as a “rare holdover” heading into the summer season.

Variety Magazine

Critics have accused the biopic of “whitewashing” Jackson’s legacy by ending its narrative in 1988, before the emergence of multiple child-abuse allegations. The omission of those controversies has been highlighted as a major point of contention among cultural commentators.

Just Jared

Domestic totals vary slightly across sources—$282.8 million (Variety, Forbes) versus $283 million (TheWrap). Weekend earnings are reported as $26.1 million (most outlets) and $26.3 million (Independent). Japan’s pending release creates uncertainty about the film’s ultimate global ceiling.

Variety Magazine

• “Spirits are rather high given the strength of the year to date box office,” — Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends, Comscore

Variety Magazine

• “The industry is feeling optimistic for a solid Memorial weekend with the remarkable long-term playability of holdovers, along with ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu.'” — Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends, Comscore

Variety Magazine

• “Another weekend, another well-made, low-budget horror film over-performing at the box office.” — David A. Gross, analyst, FranchiseRe

‘Michael’ Climbs Back to No. 1, New Horror Movie Shocks Box Office

• “Discover the making of a king.” — Moviefone promotional tagline

‘Michael’ Returns to the Top of the Box Office

The film is slated to benefit from Memorial Day weekend traffic and could surpass the $800 million mark before its Japanese debut. Industry watchers will monitor whether *Michael* can eclipse *Bohemian Rhapsody* and set a new benchmark for biopic earnings.

Forbes