‘Michael’ Marches Closer to $1 Billion at Worldwide Box Office

Michael Movie (Credit: Lionsgate)

Michael continues to bring smooth moves to theaters across the globe and is on its way to earning $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

The Michael Jackson biopic opened this weekend in Japan, where it rang up $1.3 million from 63 IMAX screens, box office tracking company Rentrak (formerly Comscore) reported Sunday.

Since it debuted domestically in April, the music-filled film has earned $362.7 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $569.4 million abroad — bringing its global total to a staggering $932.2 million.

If the authorized film surpasses $975.8 million worldwide, it will become the highest-grossing biopic of all time, topping the record set by Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning Oppenheimer in 2023.

Jermaine Jackson’s son, Jaafar Jackson, leads the cast of Michael as his late uncle. Colman Domingo portrays family patriarch Joe Jackson. Nia Long plays the King of Pop’s mother, Katherine Jackson, and child actor Juliano Valdi plays young Michael.

Related: Michael Jackson’s Son Prince Says Critics Wanted ‘Michael’ to Flop

Director Antoine Fuqua and Juliano Valdi as Young Michael in Michael. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
Antoine Fuqua directs Juliano Valdi. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate)

Last month, Lionsgate confirmed a sequel to the film is moving forward.

“We are really excited about the progress we’re making with respect to a second Michael film,” studio executive Adam Fogelson said on a quarterly earnings call. “All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well.”

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael is already the highest-grossing musical biopic ever, after moonwalking past the $911 million worldwide that Bohemian Rhapsody earned in 2018.

At the domestic box office this weekend, Michael rang up another $4.1 million, good for a seventh-place finish.

Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day opened in first place with $44.0 million from 3,824 theaters, Rentrak reported. The sci-fi epic follows the discovery of extraterrestrial secrets and is based on a story by the legendary director. David Koepp wrote the screenplay.

The film’s cast includes Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer), Josh O’Connor (Challengers), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) Eve Hewson (Bad Sisters), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing).

Disclosure Day received an 80% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews describing the film as “entertaining” but “mid-tier” for a Spielberg production.

Elsewhere this weekend, Obsession came in second place with $19 million in its fifth weekend in theaters, Rentrak reported.

Last week’s leader, Scary Movie, tumbled down the chart to third place with $14.5 million. The film’s poor reviews from critics may have contributed to it losing momentum.

Backrooms was fourth with $11.2 million in its third weekend. Masters of the Universe rounded out the top five with $8.7 million in its second weekend.

Check out the box office chart below from Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak.


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About Anita Bennett

Anita Bennett is the editor and founder of Urban Hollywood 411. She can be reached on Twitter @tvanita.

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