Michael Jackson Biopic Achieves Record-Breaking $217M Opening Weekend
The Michael Jackson biopic has overcome controversy, negative reviews, and a challenging production process to achieve a $217 million worldwide box office haul, including a $97 million opening in North America.
The high-budget film, an authorized portrayal of the “king of pop” co-produced by the Jackson estate and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, earned $120.4 million internationally and $97 million domestically. This combined total surpassed the 2023 opening weekend of Oppenheimer ($180.4 million) and the 2018 opening of Bohemian Rhapsody ($124 million), setting a new record for the biggest biopic opening of all time.
The film has now been released in most global markets, with the notable exception of Japan, a country with a significant Jackson fanbase, where it is scheduled to open in June.
Michael Jackson’s $97 million domestic debut also exceeded the openings of Oppenheimer ($82 million in 2023), Straight Outta Compton ($60.2 million in 2015), and Bohemian Rhapsody ($51 million in 2018).
While critics have criticized the film for glossing over some of the more controversial aspects of Jackson’s life, audiences have responded with enthusiasm. Initial estimates for the North American opening weekend were around $50 million but increased to $70 million prior to release, with the film significantly outperforming these projections.
“From the beginning, all of the signals were that something like this was possible,” Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson told the Associated Press. “We were seeing massive engagement with every conceivable audience segment that you could identify.”
Production Challenges and Controversy
Despite the lucrative music biopic market, Lionsgate’s decision to produce a film about Michael Jackson was a bold move given the pop star’s controversial legacy. Jackson, who died in 2009 at age 50, faced repeated allegations of child sexual abuse. Jackson and his estate have consistently denied these allegations, though Jackson admitted to sharing a bedroom with other people’s children. He was acquitted in his only criminal trial in 2005.
Some members of the Jackson family opposed the film. Jackson’s sister Janet Jackson was not involved and does not appear in the movie, while his daughter Paris Jackson described it as “fantasy land.”
The production encountered significant difficulties after filming was completed. Producers discovered a costly legal issue related to the third act, which focused on accusations made by Jordan Chandler, who was 13 years old at the time and received a $23 million settlement from Jackson in 1994. The settlement terms prohibited the Jackson estate from mentioning Chandler in any film.
As a result, a substantial portion of the film was cut, and reshoots costing up to $50 million were undertaken at the estate’s expense. Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan reworked the film to conclude in 1988, before any allegations arose.
“I would take issue with the idea that we as a studio or as film-makers were running around in a panic,” Fogelson told AP on Sunday, describing the situation as “a unique and challenging circumstance.”
Financial Success and Future Plans
Despite early setbacks, the film has become a major success. The total production cost approached $200 million. To offset expenses, Lionsgate sold international distribution rights to Universal Pictures. A sequel is currently in development, with a third film also possible according to Fogelson.
Director Antoine Fuqua has expressed interest in directing the sequel, titled Michael Jackson: The Next Chapter. He stated:
“It would kill me if somebody else did it.”
Fuqua also mentioned that unused footage from the original shoot could be repurposed, as filming had extended beyond the Jordan Chandler allegations. He explained:
“We went through the Jordan allegations we couldn’t use. We went farther than that. Maybe a year or two after that (1995) when things turned against Michael.”
Background and Reception
Plans for the Michael Jackson biopic were first announced in 2012, three years after the release of Leaving Neverland, the 2019 documentary detailing allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson. Dan Reed, director of Leaving Neverland, told :
“It kind of fills me with horror, the degree to which everyone can turn a blind eye to the fact that this guy was a bit of a monster.”
Among music biopics, Bohemian Rhapsody remains the highest-grossing film, with $910 million globally, while Rocketman earned $975 million worldwide.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
