Michael, the controversial Michael Jackson biopic, has defied poor reviews and a troubled production to earn a staggering £160m ($217m) globally in its opening weekend, including $97m in North America, smashing the record for the biggest biopic debut.
The film, produced by Lionsgate and co-produced by the Jackson estate, stars the singer's nephew Jaafar Jackson. Its worldwide total surpassed Oppenheimer's $180.4m opening in 2023 and Bohemian Rhapsody's $124m in 2018. However, critics have panned the film for glossing over Jackson's child abuse allegations, giving it a 38% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences awarded it 97%.
The production faced an unusual setback: after shooting, producers had to cut the third act due to a 1994 settlement that barred the Jackson estate from mentioning Jordan Chandler, the 13-year-old accuser. Costly reshoots of up to $50m were funded by the estate, shifting the film's conclusion to 1988, before any accusations emerged. Director Antoine Fuqua described it as a 'unique and challenging circumstance'.
Jackson's reputation remains divisive; he was acquitted in 2005 but allegations persist. Some family members opposed the film, with daughter Paris calling it 'fantasy land'. Despite this, Lionsgate is already developing a sequel, with Fuqua keen to direct, saying he would be 'killed' if someone else took over. The film's total production cost approached $200m, mitigated by selling international rights to Universal.
