The King of Pop is reigning supreme at the box office. Michael, the highly anticipated biopic about Michael Jackson's early life and career, has officially crossed the $500 million mark globally, becoming the third Hollywood film of 2026 to achieve that milestone. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has defied expectations and controversy to become a genuine cultural phenomenon.
In its third weekend of release, Michael grossed nearly $100 million domestically in its opening frame and has now accumulated close to $250 million in North America alone. Its worldwide total now stands at over $500 million, trailing only Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in the 2026 global box-office rankings.
A Divisive Hit with Audiences
While critics have been lukewarm on the film—it holds a 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes—audiences have embraced it wholeheartedly, giving it a 97% audience score. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus notes: "While Jaafar Jackson's smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, this musical biopic mostly plays like a 'greatest hits' album that could've benefited from including liner notes to give actual insight into the icon."
Starring Michael Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the film has been a box office juggernaut despite its troubled production, which saw its budget balloon to a reported $200 million. The performance so far suggests that investment was well worth it.
Box Office Landscape
The weekend's box office saw a tense showdown between The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the new release Mortal Kombat II. The Devil Wears Prada 2 exceeded expectations with an $80 million opening and has already passed $450 million worldwide in just 10 days. Meanwhile, Mortal Kombat II has recouped its $80 million budget in three days, eyeing a similar bump to other Warner Bros. sequels like Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Ryan Gosling's Project Hail Mary continues its run, having grossed over $650 million worldwide, though it's unlikely to hit $700 million by the end of its run.
What's Next for 'Michael'?
With its current momentum, Michael is now aiming to become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, a title currently held by Bohemian Rhapsody with $910 million globally. Given its strong audience reception and lack of major competition in the coming weeks, that milestone is within reach.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on this and other box office stories.
