'Michael' Surpasses 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as Highest-Grossing Music Biopic of All Time
The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' has surpassed 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to become the highest-grossing music biopic in history, reaching $911.9 million worldwide. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, is distributed by Lionsgate domestically and Universal internationally, and is now opening in Japan, where it could push the total past $1 billion. The milestone is notable given the film's troubled production, which required $50 million in reshoots after a scripting controversy involving one of Jackson's accusers.
The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' has crossed $911.9 million in global box office receipts, officially dethroning the Freddie Mercury biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, the film is a joint release between Lionsgate, which handles domestic distribution, and Universal, which controls foreign theatrical and ancillary rights and has generated $540.5 million of the $553.3 million international total. Domestically, the film has earned $358.6 million, also making it the highest-grossing music biopic and biopic overall in the U.S. market. The film's Japan release, beginning today in partnership with Kino, could push the worldwide total past $1 billion, which would make it only the second film to reach that threshold in 2026 after Universal's Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Producer Graham King, who also produced the four-time Oscar-winning 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' has now broken his own record. The production faced significant hurdles, including $50 million in reshoots after the Jackson estate identified a key issue with the screenplay's handling of one of Jackson's accusers, a figure who was never intended to be dramatized in the John Logan-written script.
What's missing
The articles do not address critical or audience reception of the film, nor do they provide broader context on the ongoing public controversy surrounding Michael Jackson's legacy and the sexual abuse allegations, beyond a brief mention of the reshoot-triggering screenplay issue involving one of his accusers.
What different sources said
- Yahoo FinanceCenter
‘Michael’ Dethrones ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ To Become Highest-Grossing Music Biopic Of All Time
- DeadlineCenter
‘Michael’ Dethrones ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ To Become Highest-Grossing Music Biopic Of All Time
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