The Michael Jackson biopic Michael dominated its opening weekend, earning $97 million domestically and $217 million worldwide, the biggest debut ever for a biographical film. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the drama outperformed Straight Outta Compton and Bohemian Rhapsody, while its $39.5 million opening day set a new record, surpassing Oppenheimer.
Audiences embraced the film with an “A-” CinemaScore, even as critics gave it only 38% on Rotten Tomatoes. Jafar Jackson’s performance drew praise, but reviewers criticized the narrative as sanitized after producers reworked the third act to end with the Bad tour in 1988.
The sharp divide between critics and audiences highlights the film’s “critic-proof” appeal. Featuring Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Kendrick Sampson, and Mike Myers, the film also set Imax records with $24.5M globally. With a $200M budget, Michael marks Lionsgate’s biggest opening in more than a decade, proving that audiences demand can outweigh critical reception.
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