"Michael," the biographical drama about the life of late pop icon Michael Jackson, has become the highest-grossing biopic of all time after earning $977 million at the global box office, surpassing Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer."
The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has now overtaken "Oppenheimer," which grossed about $976 million worldwide following its 2023 release, setting a new box office record for a film based on a real-life figure.
The latest milestone comes after "Michael" previously became the highest-grossing musical biopic, surpassing 2018's "Bohemian Rhapsody," which chronicled the life of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
Released in April, Michael opened with $217 million worldwide during its first week in theaters, quickly emerging as one of the year's biggest commercial successes.
The film follows Jackson's rise from his early years performing with the Jackson 5 to his career as the self-proclaimed "King of Pop." Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars in the lead role, alongside Colman Domingo and Nia Long as the singer's parents.
The film has also become the highest-grossing release in Lionsgate's history, surpassing "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."
While audiences have embraced "Michael," the film has divided critics.
Several reviewers praised Jaafar Jackson's performance and the recreation of Michael Jackson's concerts, choreography and music videos, with the film featuring the singer's original vocal recordings.
However, critics also argued that the film presents a sanitized portrayal of Jackson's life by omitting allegations of child sexual abuse that shadowed the later years of his career.
According to media reports, scenes referencing the allegations were removed during production following legal complications linked to a historical non-disclosure agreement.
Audience reception, however, proved significantly stronger than critical reviews, with moviegoers giving the film considerably higher ratings on review aggregation platforms.
The project was produced with financial backing from Michael Jackson's estate, which also authorized the use of the singer's original recordings throughout the film.
