The recently released Michael Jackson biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has overtaken Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' to become the highest-grossing biopic of all time. As of now, the film has earned $977 million (£739 million) at the worldwide box office, surpassing the previous record held by the 2023 film about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.
From Musical Biopic Record to All-Time Top
Already the biggest-ever musical biopic, 'Michael' had earlier leapfrogged 2018's 'Bohemian Rhapsody', the Queen biopic. Now, it has also overtaken 'Oppenheimer', which had held the overall biopic box office record. The film stars Jaafar Jackson, the late singer's real-life nephew, as Michael Jackson, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long portraying his parents, Joseph and Katherine Jackson.
On its release in April, 'Michael' took $217 million globally in its first week, surpassing other music biopics such as 2015's 'Straight Outta Compton' (about NWA) and 2018's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. It has also become Lionsgate Studios' most successful movie, ahead of 2013's 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'.
Overcoming the Barbenheimer Effect
'Michael' surpassed 'Oppenheimer' despite the latter benefiting from the viral 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon in summer 2023, when audiences flocked to see both 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' after a series of memes. The Michael Jackson film has clearly resonated with the performer's global fanbase, thanks to its depiction of his childhood and recreations of famous concert performances and music videos.
Jaafar Jackson received particular praise for his portrayal of his uncle. However, many critics labeled the film a 'whitewash', with several reviewers saying it presented a 'sanitised' version of Jackson's life and career. This criticism largely stems from the film's avoidance of the sexual abuse allegations against the late singer. A historic non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prompted the scrapping of some footage referencing those allegations.
Critical Reception vs. Fan Response
The Hollywood Reporter noted that the feature 'delivers for lifelong fans who cherish the music', while the Telegraph observed that it 'refuses to address the elephant in the room'. The Independent described it as a 'ghoulish, soulless cash grab'. Despite the poor reviews, fans rated the film far higher than critics did, according to review aggregator websites such as Rotten Tomatoes.
The film is financially backed by the late superstar's estate and uses his original vocals for the musical numbers, which dominate the movie. Lionsgate is expected to release at least one more film about Jackson's life, according to US publication Variety.
Streaming Boost for Jackson's Music
In addition to driving fans into cinemas, the new movie has spurred an uptick in streaming of Jackson's songs. He has been the most-played artist in the UK on YouTube over the past month, with double the number of plays of his nearest rival, Canadian star Drake. 'Billie Jean', perhaps his most famous tune, is currently the most-played song on Spotify worldwide. Jackson was also the most-listened-to artist on Spotify in the UK last month, shortly after the film's release, and remains in third place at the time of writing.
