The conversation around Michael has shifted fast from hype to actual impact. The movie just pulled off one of the biggest opening weekends ever for a biopic, bringing in a massive $217 million globally. That record beats out Oppenheimer, which held the previous top spot with a $174 million debut back in 2023.
A huge chunk of that money came from North America, where it made about $97 million. The rest of the world added another $120 million, proving that people everywhere are still interested in Michael Jackson’s story. So far, it is one of the biggest hits of 2026, sitting right behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. This is a big win for the studio, especially since the movie cost nearly $200 million to make. That price tag included some last minute reshoots for the ending that added about $15 million to the bill, but at this rate, the film is on track to make a healthy profit.
What is really interesting is the gap between what critics think and what the fans feel. A lot of critics have been pretty hard on the movie, but regular audiences are loving it. This happens a lot with music biopics. Fans go into the theater with a lot of love for the artist, and they usually want to see a story that celebrates their talent. The film focuses mostly on Jackson’s music and his difficult childhood, but it stays away from the messy controversies that defined his later years.
People have definitely noticed that the movie plays it safe. It ends the story in the late 1980s, which conveniently cuts off before the biggest scandals began. Some of the actors, like Colman Domingo, have even hinted that a sequel could happen to cover those later chapters. For now, the strategy seems to be working. Fans seem much more interested in a film that honors his legacy than one that tries to be a gritty investigation.
We have seen this before with movies like Elvis. Those films tend to do better when they focus on the charisma and the performances rather than the drama behind the scenes. Michael follows that same blueprint, giving people a mix of nostalgia and big musical moments. The real test will be whether the movie can keep this momentum going over the next few weeks, but for now, it has already made its mark as one of the biggest biopic launches in history.