Hee hee! 'Michael’ grosses $851 million, closes in on 'Bohemian Rhapsody's' $900 million

“Michael," has officially surpassed $850 million at the global box office, cementing its status as one of the biggest hits of 2026. Since premiering in theaters on April 24, the biographical musical drama has earned $851.4 million worldwide, including $341.6 million at the North American box office and $509.8 million internationally.

The film directed by Antoine Fuqua is currently the second-highest-grossing movie of this year, behind “Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” It is also the second-highest-grossing music biopic ever released.

Produced on a reported budget of $155–200 million, “Michael” has been a major commercial success. Earlier in its run, the film earned approximately $97.2 million in its U.S. opening weekend, setting records as both the biggest debut for a music biopic and the largest opening weekend for any biographical film, surpassing Oppenheimer.

The film has since climbed to third place worldwide, behind Oppenheimer ($975.8 million) and Bohemian Rhapsody ($903.6 million).

While the film received mixed reviews from critics and currently sits at 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have embraced it. The movie holds a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.7/10 rating on IMDb. 

Many critics praised Jaafar Jackson, the son of Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson's nephew, for his performance in the title role, particularly his resemblance to his late uncle.

Following the film's box office success, Lionsgate executives have officially confirmed that a "Michael" sequel is in active development, according to Variety. Meanwhile, Forbes reports that the biopic film will soon arrive on digital platforms  as a rental  or as a purchase while continuing its blockbuster theatrical run.