'Michael' becomes highest-grossing music biopic, surpassing 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Michael Jackson's biopic has officially made history as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, pulling in $911.9 million (P55.4 billion) worldwide, Deadline reported.

Released on April 22, Michael steadily climbed the ranks to dethrone the 2022 biopic Elvis before ultimately surpassing 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody. The Freddie Mercury movie used to hold the record, making $910.9 million (P55.3 billion) worldwide. It also won several major awards, including Best Picture and a Golden Globe for star Rami Malek.

Michael has since crossed the massive $1 billion mark at the global box office. It sits near the very top of the 2026 box office charts, right behind the animated sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which also passed $1 billion earlier this month. Michael is leading the year's biggest hits alongside Project Hail Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Internationally, the movie achieved the biggest opening ever for a music biopic in 65 countries. It went on to completely surpass the lifetime earnings of Bohemian Rhapsody in 40 international markets—including Brazil, France, and Mexico.

In doing so, Michael became Universal’s highest-grossing film of all time in Brazil, and it beat out the legendary local film La Môme (La Vie En Rose) to become the most successful biopic ever released in France.

The movie was directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. It stars Jaafar Jackson, the son of Michael’s brother, Jermaine, as the King of Pop. Juliano Krue Valdi plays Michael during his childhood years.