The Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has become the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, overtaking lBohemian Rhapsody’, after its worldwide earnings passed key box office milestones on Friday, according to reports.
The film, which chronicles the life and career of Michael Jackson, has grossed over $911 million globally since its release on April 24, moving ahead of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which had earned $910.9 million worldwide. Both films were produced by Graham King.
The achievement places Michael ahead of the Freddie Mercury biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which tells the story of Freddie Mercury, marking a significant moment in music-biopic box office history.
Industry reports suggest the film is now on course to cross the $1 billion mark before it completes its theatrical run later this month. If it does so, it would become the first music biopic to enter the billion-dollar club.
The film has also outperformed the 2022 Elvis Presley biopic ‘Elvis’ and is now being positioned as a strong contender to surpass the all-time biopic box office record currently held by ‘Oppenheimer’, directed by Christopher Nolan, which earned around $975 million globally in 2023.
Another major global box office benchmark this year is ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, which has already crossed the $1 billion mark.
‘Michael’ follows the life and career of the King of Pop, featuring Jaafar Jackson in the title role. The supporting cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca, Laura Harrier as music executive Suzanne de Passe, and Mike Myers as CBS Records executive Walter Yetnikoff.
The film was developed with support from members of Jackson’s family years after his death in 2009 at the age of 50. Upon release, it received mixed reviews, with praise for performances and music, but criticism for its portrayal of Michael Jackson and its handling of sexual abuse allegations.
