“Michael” Crushes “Oppenheimer” With Near $100M Opening Weekend

Michael biopic Michael crushed expectations at the global box office this weekend as it rewrote record books and silenced critics who questioned its troubled path to theaters.

The film, centered on Michael Jackson and starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson, opened to $97 million domestically and a staggering $217.4 million worldwide, according to Comscore estimates released Sunday. The debut now stands as the biggest opening weekend ever for a musical biopic, surpassing Straight Outta Compton and even overtaking Oppenheimer which previously held the biopic record with a $174 million global launch.

Despite a wave of early negative critical reviews, Michael found its footing with audiences who showed up in force. The film earned an A- CinemaScore and a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, signaling a clear divide between critics and moviegoers. Some theaters turned into celebration zones, with fans singing and dancing along to the late icon’s music during screenings.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film chronicles Jackson’s rise from childhood stardom through the late 1980s, ending around the Bad tour era. It was forced to avoid areas depicting the singer’s later controversies. It was not the the project of sidestepping difficult chapters in his life. Early versions of the film reportedly included material tied to 1993 allegations involving Jordan Chandler, but those scenes were removed following the discovery of a legal agreement preventing dramatization of the Chandler family. The late-stage shift triggered reshoots that significantly altered the film’s third act.

The production itself carried a hefty price tag. According to reports, Michael cost nearly $200 million to produce, including roughly $15-$17 million tied to those reshoots. Still, its explosive debut suggests the film is well on its way to profitability, especially as global interest continues to build.

Within the broader 2026 box office landscape, Michael delivered one of the year’s strongest openings. It currently trails only The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in overall debut performance, while outperforming Project Hail Mary. The success underscores the continued power of music-driven storytelling, particularly when tied to globally recognized figures.

The film’s ending hints at more to come, closing with a message that Jackson’s story will continue. That tease raises questions about whether a potential sequel will address the controversies omitted from the first installment, or continue focusing on his artistic legacy.

For now, Michael stands as a commercial triumph fueled by nostalgia, spectacle and undeniable cultural impact of a global icon with no peer.