Jaafar Jackson’s ‘Michael’ becomes highest-grossing biopic of all time

LOS ANGELES; Jaafar Jackson starrer ‘Michael’ has become the highest-grossing biopic of all time, grossing USD 977 million at the worldwide box office, reported Variety.

The Michael Jackson biopic has surpassed Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to reach the milestone. ‘Oppenheimer’ as a previous record-holder earned USD 975 million globally, marking a remarkable total for an R-rated historical drama.

Meanwhile, ‘Michael’ has already ranked as the biggest musical biopic of all time, crossing 2018’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which earned USD 911 million worldwide. Distributed by Lionsgate in the US and Universal in international markets, ‘Michael’ earned USD 607.2 million overseas and USD 370.2 million domestically since April.

DEVELOPING: Michael is now officially the highest-grossing biopic in box office history. The MJ biopic now holds the global record after hauling in $977.4 million. This means Michael officially surpasses Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer ($965 million). This is a huge achievement &… pic.twitter.com/i0chUNH8n7

— Cinema Tweets (@CinemaTweets1) June 28, 2026

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, ‘Michael’ follows the journey of Pop icon Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5 to his status as the King of Pop. The singer’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson portrayed Michael Jackson in his acting debut. Colman Domingo and Nia Long were seen as parents Joe and Katherine.

The project was developed with the support of several members of Jackson’s family years after his death in 2009 at the age of 50. According to the film’s official description, Michael offers an “honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated” music icon. The story concludes in 1988, focusing on Jackson’s rise to global superstardom and not covering the allegations that emerged in later years, stated People.

Besides the latest record, ‘Michael’ is also Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing 2013’s ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The studio is expected to greenlight another film on Jackson. (ANI)