Michael, the authorised biopic of Michael Jackson directed by Antoine Fuqua, has set a new UK record for the biggest opening weekend for a music biopic. The film earned £11.6 million from Friday to Sunday, surpassing the previous record held by Bohemian Rhapsody, which opened with £6.4 million in 2018.
The film's UK debut accounted for 68% of all box office takings in the UK and Ireland over the three days. Despite this success, the opening was slightly less dominant compared to the US, where Michael outperformed Bohemian Rhapsody by 90%, taking $97 million against $51 million.
Other music biopics that have performed well in the UK include Rocketman (£4 million), Elvis (£4 million), and A Complete Unknown (£2.6 million). Michael's global total currently stands at $217 million, with the film yet to open in Japan, putting it on track to potentially become the first music biopic to surpass $1 billion.
Universal's The Super Mario Galaxy Movie retained the biggest UK opening of 2026 so far with £15 million, followed by Michael, then Wuthering Heights and Project Hail Mary, each with around £7 million. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie came second over the weekend, while Project Hail Mary placed third.
