Michael opens to $97M domestically

Lionsgate’s Michael opened to an estimated $97 million in North America this weekend, giving the Michael Jackson biopic the No. 1 spot at the box office. (variety.com) Deadline reported the film reached $217.4 million worldwide, with $120.4 million coming from 82 international markets handled by Universal. (deadline.com) Variety said Michael set the biggest domestic opening ever for a music biopic, topping the $51 million debut of Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018. (variety.com) (billboard.com) The film stars Jaafar Jackson as his uncle Michael Jackson and was directed by Antoine Fuqua from a script by John Logan. Lionsgate distributed the movie in the United States, while Universal handled international release. (hollywoodreporter.com) (variety.com) The opening follows a long and uneven road to theaters. Lionsgate and Universal moved the release to April 24, 2026, after earlier delays and reports that the project could be split into two films. (deadline.com) (variety.com) Deadline said the overall domestic weekend reached about $154.3 million, up 5% from the same frame a year earlier, with Michael driving most of the gains. It also reported the 2026 domestic box office at $2.6 billion through April 26, up 17% year over year. (deadline.com) The strong start came despite mixed reviews. The Hollywood Reporter and USA Today both described a sharp split between critics and moviegoers as the film posted its opening-weekend numbers. (hollywoodreporter.com) (usatoday.com) For theaters, the immediate result is simple: a delayed biopic that arrived on April 24 is now the weekend’s dominant release and a new box-office benchmark for the genre. (variety.com) (deadline.com)