The highly authorized depiction of the King of Pop, co-produced by Jackson's estate, Lionsgate's "Michael," far surpassed previous top biopics like "Straight Outta Compton" (which debuted with $60.2 million in 2015) and "Bohemian Rhapsody" ($51 million in 2018).
International sales were also strong. "Michael" grossed $120.4 million overseas, giving it a global opening of $217.4 million, a new record for a music biopic. Universal handled distribution in most international markets.
Even in the lucrative music biopic market, "Michael" was a bold bet by Lionsgate on an immensely popular yet controversial figure. Jackson's reputation, who died in 2009 at age 50, has often been tarnished by allegations of child sexual abuse. Jackson and his side maintained his innocence. He was acquitted in his only criminal trial in 2005.
Some members of Jackson's family opposed the film. Janet Jackson was not involved and does not appear in it. Jackson's daughter, Paris, called it a "fantasy land." But three years after "Leaving Neverland," the 2009 documentary about alleged child sexual abuse by Jackson, "Bohemian Rhapsody" producer Graham King announced plans for a biopic. Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson was cast in the lead role.
"Michael" had an unusually difficult production. After filming wrapped, producers realized they had made an expensive mistake. The third act focused on allegations against Jordan Chandler, then 13, whom Jackson paid $23 million in a 1994 settlement. The terms of that settlement barred Jackson's estate from ever mentioning Chandler in a film.
Much of the film had to be cut. Reshoots costing up to $50 million were done at the estate's expense. Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan reworked the film to end in 1988, before any allegations were raised.
Yet, no matter how bad things once looked for "Michael," the film turned into a hit. The total production cost of the film approached $200 million. To cover costs, Lionsgate sold international distribution rights to Universal. A sequel is expected, though not yet announced.
Critics criticized the film for glossing over some less savory aspects of Jackson's life. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scored 38 percent, but audiences were more enthusiastic, earning "Michael" an "A-" CinemaScore.
The opening of "Michael" contributed to a strong spring for Hollywood, fueled by box office hits like Amazon MGM's "Project Hail Mary" and Universal's "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." After three weeks atop the box office, the "Mario" sequel fell to second place with $21.2 million. In four weeks, it has grossed $386.5 million domestically.