LOS ANGELES – The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has overtaken Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time. Released in cinemas on April 24, the film has earned $911.9 million worldwide, surpassing the 2018 Queen biopic which grossed $910.9 million globally, according to Deadline.
Michael has also become the highest-grossing biopic domestically. The film is now aiming to cross the $1 billion mark, a milestone already achieved by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, making that animated sequel the best-performing movie of 2026 so far.
The first Michael film ends during the King of Pop's Bad tour in 1987. A second film is already in development, with Lionsgate confirming they have “25 to 30 percent” of the project already shot from the previous production. Speaking in a quarterly earnings call in May, Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson said, “We are really excited about the progress we’re making with respect to a second Michael film.”
He explained, “We think we’ve got 25 to 30 percent of a second movie already shot from the prior production activity, and so obviously that will have some [financial] benefit ultimately, but we’re going to make sure we make a big and satisfying movie for a global audience once again.”
“All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well,” Fogelson added. He hinted that the follow-up might not be chronological, saying, “We can go forwards about backwards in telling this story.”
Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua from a script by John Logan, starred the late musician’s nephew Jaafar Jackson and child star Juliano Valdi as Jackson at different stages of his life. The first movie was set to explore the fallout of the molestation allegations on Jackson’s life, with a third act dedicated to the scandal. However, attorneys for the Jackson estate discovered a clause in a settlement with Jordan Chandler, one of the accusers, which barred him from being depicted or mentioned in any film project.
