The Michael Jackson biopic just hit a massive box office milestone that puts it within striking distance of a historic benchmark. The film’s latest international numbers reveal how close Jaafar Jackson’s debut has come to a figure no musical biopic has ever reached.
Michael’s Japanese run has moved Jaafar Jackson’s film closer to $1 billion
According to Box Office Mojo, Michael has grossed $991.4 million worldwide as of July 6, 2026. The film earned $371.2 million domestically and $620.1 million internationally. Japan’s June 12 release through Kino Films contributed $24.4 million to the international total.
Antoine Fuqua directed the biographical film about Michael Jackson’s early life and rise to fame. Lionsgate distributed the film domestically, while Universal Pictures handled most international territories. The production budget ranged between $155 million and $200 million after reshoots in June 2025.
Jaafar Jackson portrays his uncle Michael Jackson, with Juliano Valdi playing the younger version. The supporting cast includes Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, and Laura Harrier. Both Jaafar and Valdi made their film debuts in the project.
The film opened to $97.2 million domestically, setting the record for a biographical musical film. It surpassed Straight Outta Compton’s previous record of $60.2 million from 2015. Internationally, Michael debuted at $121.6 million for a combined $218.8 million worldwide opening.
On June 14, Michael crossed $911.9 million globally to surpass Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing musical biopic. It then overtook Oppenheimer’s $975 million on June 28 to become the highest-grossing biographical film ever. The film also surpassed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release.
Michael currently sits as the second-highest-grossing film of 2026 behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, 38% of 296 critics’ reviews are positive with a 4.9/10 average rating. Audiences gave the film an A- CinemaScore grade, and Lionsgate announced a sequel in development on May 21, 2026.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.net.
