‘Michael’ Is Dominating Letterboxd as Fans and Critics Remain Worlds Apart on the Jackson Biopic
The King of Pop has reclaimed his throne, at least among moviegoers. Letterboxd posted its weekly chart and Antoine Fuqua’s ‘Michael’ sits comfortably at number one, drawing more activity on the platform than any other film in release. The result reflects a widening divide between what critics think of the picture and what audiences actually want from it.
The biopic opened to a record-shattering $97 million domestically and $217 million globally in its first weekend, the best debut ever for a biographical or musical film. Those numbers shattered the previous record held by ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ which had opened to $60 million, and left ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ $51 million debut far behind.
For Lionsgate, it represented a triumphant return to blockbuster territory, and the momentum has not slowed since. By the end of its second week, ‘Michael’ had crossed $300 million worldwide, unseating ‘Elvis’ to become the second-highest-grossing musical biopic ever, trailing only ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s real-life nephew, was cast in the title role after a two-year search, with Katherine Jackson quoted as saying he “embodies” her son. The performance has been the single element critics and fans broadly agree on.
Rotten Tomatoes’ consensus notes that Jaafar’s smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, even as the film is compared to a greatest hits album that needed more depth. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson and Nia Long portrays Katherine, rounding out a cast that carries much of the film’s emotional weight.
Critics have taken aim at what they call a sanitized approach, particularly the film’s decision to omit any reference to the child sexual abuse allegations that followed Jackson later in his career. The decision had a practical dimension, as producers discovered a clause in a 1993 settlement that legally barred the depiction of that accuser in film or television, forcing a significant overhaul of the third act. The final cut ends with Jackson launching the Bad World Tour in 1988, with a closing card reading “His story continues” leaving the door open for a sequel.
On Rotten Tomatoes, only 37 percent of critics’ reviews are positive, and Metacritic placed it at 39 out of 100, indicating generally unfavorable notices. Audiences polled told a completely different story. CinemaScore gave the film an A minus, while PostTrak recorded a 90 percent positive score, with 84 percent of viewers saying they would definitely recommend it. That gap between professional critics and paying audiences is precisely what is propelling ‘Michael’ to the top of charts like Letterboxd, where fan enthusiasm translates directly into visibility.
The film carries a production budget of nearly $200 million, split between Lionsgate, Universal, and the Jackson estate, making it one of the most expensive biopics ever produced. With global totals climbing and a sequel now a genuine conversation, the pop cultural footprint of ‘Michael’ is only growing. Whether the critical reception follows the audience is a separate question, but for now the Letterboxd chart says everything about where the public stands.
