17 years after his death, Michael Jackson continues to set records as his biopic becomes the highest-grossing ever

“Michael,” the biographical film that brings the life of music icon Michael Jackson to the screen, has become the highest-grossing biopic in history after taking in $977 million at cinemas worldwide.

Thanks to this result, the production has surpassed Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which until now held first place as the most profitable biographical film based on the life of a real person. Earlier, “Michael” had also overtaken “Bohemian Rhapsody,” thus taking the lead as the most successful music biopic ever made.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film follows Michael Jackson’s journey from his early years as a child in the family group Jackson 5 to his rise to the status of the “King of Pop.” Jaafar Jackson, the artist’s nephew, appears in the lead role, while Colman Domingo and Nia Long play his parents.

Since its release in April, “Michael” got off to a very strong start, earning $217 million in its first week globally. With that figure, it outperformed well-known musical biopics such as “Straight Outta Compton” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The film has also become the most successful production in the history of Lionsgate Studios, surpassing 2013’s “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”

Although audiences have received it quite well, critical reviews have been divided. Some reviewers have described the film as a softened portrayal of Jackson’s life because it does not include the sexual abuse allegations that followed the singer over the years. According to reports, some scenes related to those allegations were removed after a non-disclosure agreement.

Despite these criticisms, fans have rated the film highly, giving it noticeably higher scores than critics on review platforms such as Rotten Tomatoes.

“Michael” has been financially backed by Michael Jackson’s estate and uses the artist’s original vocals in the musical moments. According to Variety magazine, Lionsgate is expected to bring at least one more film about the life of the music legend.