The Michael Jackson biopic has made history by becoming the highest-grossing biopic of all time. The Lionsgate film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has moonwalked past Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy, with a global box office gross of $977.4 million.
The film's success comes despite Oppenheimer's incredible Oscar-winning run, which included seven awards from best picture to best director. Over the past weekend, Michael pulled in $9.2 million at the global box office, with the anticipation that it will reach a billion worldwide.
Micahel Jackson's movie has also surpassed Oppenheimer's box office results, achieving this feat on a 46-day theatrical window. In comparison, Oppenheimer was on a well-over six-month theatrical window before it landed on a streaming service.
The musical biopic has also surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned $911 million. This comes after fans praised Michael as 'the ultimate love letter to fans,' despite there being major controversy surrounding the film.
The film's director, Antoine Fuqua, has made significant changes to the script, steering away from child abuse scenes that were originally included. The Michael Jackson estate spent up to $15 million to remove these scenes, with the film now focusing on the pop star's fraught relationship with his father, Joe Jackson.
The central tension in the film is centered around this relationship, with the decision to omit the child abuse allegations in line with a broader strategy by the estate to present a more sympathetic portrait of Jackson. Jafar Jackson, who plays his uncle, has said it's an honor to tell Michael's story in a cinematic way.
