The Michael Jackson movie overcame poor reviews and production problems to achieve a record opening weekend box office.
Jaafar Jackson reflects on playing his uncle in ‘Michael’ premiere
Jaafar Jackson reflected on playing his uncle Michael Jackson in the biopic “Michael” and talked about how he prepared for the role.
It’s a thriller!
Michael Jackson’s biopic “Michael” overcame poor reviews and production issues to achieve record opening weekend box office sales in Japan. The film, which stars Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson as the iconic singer, grossed $97 million domestically in its opening weekend, according to ComScore estimates released Sunday, April 26.
This is without a doubt the biggest opening weekend ever for a music biopic. The previous record was held by the 2015 NWA film Straight Outta Compton, which opened to $60 million domestically. Bohemian Rhapsody, starring Rami Malek as Queen singer Freddie Mercury, also premiered in 2018 with $51 million and has since gone on to collect more than $900 million worldwide.
Among the films released in 2026, “Michael” had the second-biggest opening of the year at the domestic box office, trailing only “Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and surpassing “Project Hail Mary.” The film grossed a staggering $217.4 million worldwide.
“Michael” covers the King of Pop’s life from the 1960s to the late 1980s, ending before he faced his first child molestation allegations. Puck and Variety reported that the film was originally planned to dramatize the story of Jackson being accused of molesting 13-year-old Jordan Chandler in 1993, which Jackson denied and the film portrayed Chandler as innocent.
But Pack reported that it was only after these scenes were filmed that producers discovered a legal agreement years ago that prohibited them from portraying the Chandler family in movies. This reportedly resulted in extensive reshoots, and the film’s third act had to be significantly reworked.
The final theatrical version focuses on Jackson’s musical success and difficult relationship with his father, Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo). This led to criticism that the film ignored most of the controversies of Jackson’s life and attempted to whitewash history.
“Michael” received mostly negative reviews, with critics claiming that the film lacked substance and had little to offer other than faithfully recreated music videos and concert scenes.
But a focus on Jackson’s music and a genuine celebration of his career may have been what fans were hoping for. So far, audiences seem to have embraced “Michael” differently than critics, giving it an average rating of A- in CinemaScore’s poll of moviegoers. Over the weekend, some fans shared videos of audience members turning the screening into a full-blown dance party, jamming along to Jackson classics in theaters.
With a strong opening, “Michael” is well-positioned to spawn a sequel, which is teased at the end of the film with text that reads, “His story continues.” But it’s unclear whether a potential second film will seek to acknowledge the abuse allegations against Jackson, including those that were at the center of his 2005 trial in which he was acquitted on all charges.
Also, an open question is whether “Michael” can overcome its negative reviews and become a contender for an Oscar in 2027. Musical biopics tend to do well at the Academy Awards, with films such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Elvis” and “Completely Unknown” garnering nominations in recent years. Malek won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Mercury, while Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet were nominated for their roles as Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan, respectively.
If Jaafar Jackson is nominated, he will join an exclusive club of actors who have won an Oscar for their first film.
