Michael Jackson Movie Is Officially The First Billion-Dollar Biopic Ever

Published Jul 12, 2026, 11:39 AM EDT

The controversial Michael Jackson biopic has drawn heavy criticism for not acknowledging the King of Pop's allegations of child sexual abuse. However, that hasn't prevented it from becoming an all-time smash hit at the box office. 2026's Michael, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars the King of Pop's real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson opposite Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, and Mike Myers, recently followed becoming the highest-grossing music biopic of all time (beating Bohemian Rhapsody's $911 million) by becoming the highest-grossing biopic in general (beating Oppenheimer's $975.8 million).

Lionsgate has announced that, as of Sunday morning, Michael is projected to end its 12th weekend in theaters by hitting a cumulative global total of $1.001 billion, officially crossing the billion-dollar milestone. It is the first biopic to ever do so. In fact, it is only the 62nd movie in history to ever earn more than $1 billion (not adjusted for inflation).

2026's Michael has managed to inch past this milestone even though it has been available on video on demand since June 9 and is set to make its physical media debut on Tuesday, July 14. This is partially due to the fact that the movie only recently opened in Japan, which is a major market that has allowed it to add $35.7 million more to its international grosses so far.

The movie has also become the first Lionsgate movie to ever gross $1 billion (Lionsgate Films is the key production company behind the movie and distributed the movie in the United States, partnering with Universal Pictures International and Kino Films for international distribution), surpassing the company's previous high-water mark, which was the $865 million earned by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013.

Below, read official comments on this development from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson, Universal Pictures International President Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, producer Graham King, and director Antoine Fuqua:

Adam Fogelson: Michael’s success was driven by our phenomenal partnership with our remarkable filmmakers Graham King and Antoine Fuqua, the incomparable cast led by Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo and Nia Long, and our successful collaboration with the Michael Jackson Estate. Audiences have embraced the film from the beginning, turning it into a unique cultural phenomenon in theatres around the world. Their passion speaks to the enduring appeal of one of the greatest recording artists of all time, and it underscores the continued strength and vitality of the theatrical moviegoing experience.

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg: From its opening weekend to this historic milestone, Michael resonated with moviegoers worldwide and transcended the screen to become a cultural phenomenon. It has been a distinct privilege to bring this groundbreaking film to international audiences, and we are grateful to Graham King, Antoine Fuqua and Jaafar Jackson for delivering a cinematic sensation that proves, decades after his stardom, Michael Jackson remains a global superstar like no other.

Graham King: It’s been truly heartwarming to see people from all over the world, young and old, from all walks of life come together to experience this film and the joy that it’s brought to audiences everywhere.

Antoine Fuqua: Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with Michael is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew, and partners. This achievement belongs to everyone who came together with a shared vision to honor one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. I am profoundly grateful to the audiences around the globe who embraced this film, showed up in theaters, and connected with this story across generations and cultures. This historic milestone is a testament to the enduring power of cinema to bring us together, and it is a chapter in movie history I will never forget.

While Antoine Fuqua's Michael is nearing the end of its worldwide theatrical run, it has now firmly established itself as one of the biggest box office hits of the century. The fact that it has done so is remarkable, considering the fact that it and Bohemian Rhapsody (the 2018 Freddie Mercury and Queen biopic also produced by Graham King) are the only music biopics to even gross more than $300 million worldwide, let alone get anywhere close to $1 billion.

It remains to be seen if any other music biopics can follow Michael past the billion-dollar milestone. There are very few globally renowned music superstars who have name recognition at the same level as Michael Jackson, though one of the few groups that does - The Beatles - does have a biopic in the works. However, the upcoming Beatles biopic is actually a four-film event that will see movies focusing on each member debuting simultaneously on the same weekend. While they could very well gross $1 billion collectively, this approach will likely prevent any individual title from being a billion-dollar hit.

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Release Date April 24, 2026

Runtime 130 minutes

Director Antoine Fuqua

Writers John Logan

Producers Graham King, John Branca, John McClain

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  Jaafar Jackson

  Michael Jackson

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