Micheal Jackson's new biopic ‘Michael’ makes box office history, crossing $100 million worldwide on opening day

• Michael opened with $97M in the US/Canada and $217.4M globally, making it one of 2026’s biggest box office debuts.

• The film drew about 6.3 million viewers in North America and performed strongly in IMAX, earning a record $24.4M globally in that format.

• It faced production challenges, including reshoots and controversies, pushing the budget to about $200M.

• Strong marketing, viral campaigns, and positive audience reactions helped it outperform rivals like Project Hail Mary.

The highly anticipated biopic Michael has stormed the global box office, delivering one of the biggest opening weekends of 2026 and setting new records along the way.

The film, which tells the story of pop icon Michael Jackson, pulled in a massive $97 million across the United States and Canada, while its global total hit an impressive $217.4 million. Out of that, $120.4 million came from 82 international markets, showing just how strong its worldwide appeal is.

In North America alone, about 6.3 million people went to see the movie during its opening weekend, according to EntTelligence. That’s well ahead of Project Hail Mary, which recorded 4.9 million admissions in its debut.

The numbers didn’t slow down as the weekend went on. On Saturday, the movie made $32.5 million in the US, only a small drop from Friday’s $39.5 million (which included previews). Interestingly, when previews are removed, Saturday actually jumped 21% above Friday’s core earnings, a sign that demand stayed strong.

Premium screenings also played a big role. IMAX alone brought in $24.4 million globally, making it the biggest IMAX opening ever for a musical biopic. In North America, IMAX contributed $13.8 million from 427 screens, accounting for about 14% of total domestic earnings.

The film is already being tipped to cross the $100 million mark in the US, which would cement it as the biggest live-action opening of the year, ahead of Project Hail Mary’s $80.5 million debut.

Despite the huge success, getting the movie to the cinemas wasn’t exactly smooth. Production faced some serious challenges, including controversies tied to the Jackson estate and how certain characters were portrayed. At one point, the project needed an extra 20 days of filming, with the estate reportedly covering around $50 million in additional costs. That pushed the total budget to roughly $200 million.

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Still, confidence never really dropped among those behind the project. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson said, “We had an incredibly powerful subject matter and the right filmmaking, distribution, and marketing team to pull it off, and we knew we were going to make it happen.”

And clearly, audiences are buying into it. Reports from cinemas say viewers are dancing in their seats, with many families using the film as a way to introduce younger fans to Michael Jackson’s music.

The marketing push also played a big part. The campaign mixed traditional ads with interactive experiences, including “Don’t Walk, Moonwalk” flash mobs in over 20 cities, which generated more than 23 million views. There were also HBCU marching band tributes, hologram dance displays in cinemas, and pop-up exhibitions celebrating Jackson’s life.

Online, the buzz was just as strong. The film’s trailer became the most viewed in Lionsgate’s history, hitting over 116 million views in just 24 hours. Across TikTok and X, promotional content racked up more than 564 million views.

The success of Michael has also given the overall box office a boost. The total domestic weekend haul is estimated at $154.3 million, up 5% compared to the same period last year. So far, 2026 box office earnings have reached $2.6 billion, marking a 17% increase.

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Looking at the competition, Michael completely dominated. Super Mario Galaxy Movie brought in $21.2 million in its fourth week, while Project Hail Mary added $13.2 million in its sixth.

For now, Michael isn’t just a hit; it’s shaping up to be one of the defining box office moments of the year.