The much-anticipated biopic Michael, centred on the life of late pop icon Michael Jackson, has debuted at the top of the North American box office with an estimated $97 million opening weekend.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and distributed by Lionsgate, the film charts Jackson’s journey from child star to global music icon. The lead role is played by Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew.
Industry analysts described the opening as a strong commercial performance for a musical biopic, noting the film’s broad audience appeal and nostalgic tone. However, early critical reception has been mixed, with reviewers pointing to its limited exploration of more controversial aspects of the star’s life.
Despite this, the film has already generated significant global momentum. With international releases included, Michael has reportedly grossed nearly $220 million worldwide, according to industry estimates.
The biopic leads a competitive weekend box office lineup, pushing previous frontrunner The Super Mario Galaxy Movie into second place with $21.2 million. The animated sequel has now surpassed $775 million globally after several weeks in theatres.
In third place, Project Hail Mary continued its strong run, earning $13.2 million for the weekend and bringing its global total close to $600 million.
Other titles in the top five included the horror film Lee Cronin’s The Mummy with $5.6 million, and A24’s romantic drama The Drama, which added $2.6 million to reach $80 million worldwide.
The weekend’s results underline sustained audience interest in both franchise films and original releases, even as Michael emerges as one of the year’s most commercially successful biopics.
