After an unforgettable 91-day run in North American cinemas, Michael has officially taken its final bow and what a historic journey it has been.
The Michael Jackson biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson in his acting debut as his legendary uncle, closed its domestic theatrical run on Thursday with a final $20,000 from 165 theatres. While the final day’s earnings were modest, they marked the end of one of the most extraordinary box office stories in recent years.
The film finishes its North American run with an impressive $372.3 million, making it not only Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film of all time, but also the highest-grossing biopic in cinema history.
Its journey began on 24 April, opening to a phenomenal $97 million domestic debut before dominating the box office for weeks. Even after newer releases arrived, Michael continued to attract audiences, proving that the King of Pop’s story still resonates with moviegoers across generations.
Of course, the biggest headlines came from the records that kept falling.
Michael became the first biographical film ever to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide, overtaking Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer to become the highest-grossing biopic of all time. It also surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody as the biggest musical biopic ever released and recently climbed above The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to become the highest-grossing film of the year worldwide.
Its worldwide total now stands at an incredible $1.012 billion, including $640.2 million from international markets, where audiences embraced the film in spectacular fashion. Countries such as Japan, where Michael Jackson’s popularity has remained immense for decades, played a significant role in the film’s global success.
The achievement is even more remarkable considering the challenges the production faced before reaching cinemas. Delays, script rewrites and endless speculation surrounded the project, while critics remained divided following its release. Yet audiences delivered the verdict that ultimately matters most at the box office.
Director Antoine Fuqua reflected on the film’s billion-dollar milestone by calling it a humbling achievement and praising the dedication of the cast, crew, producers and partners who shared the vision of honouring “one of the greatest artists the world has ever known.”
Jaafar Jackson’s performance was one of the film’s biggest talking points. Making his acting debut while portraying his own uncle brought an emotional authenticity to the production, supported by Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.
With the North American chapter now complete, the film will continue playing in a handful of international territories before eventually making its way to home audiences. Meanwhile, Lionsgate has already hinted that conversations about future Michael Jackson projects are underway, suggesting this may not be the last time fans see the King of Pop’s story on the big screen.
For a film that faced years of obstacles before release, Michael has achieved something few thought possible. It didn’t simply become a hit, it rewrote the record books.
More importantly, it reminded the world that Michael Jackson’s music, artistry and cultural impact remain as powerful today as ever.
As the curtain falls on its North American run, one thing is certain: the King of Pop still reigns at the box office.
