Michael Jackson Biopic Beats ‘The Jungle Book’ to Become a Box Office Record Holder
Michael Jackson’s legacy is growing even bigger at the box office. The music biopic Michael has officially passed Disney’s The Jungle Book in domestic earnings, moving higher on the list of the highest-grossing films of all time in the United States.
According to box office tracking reports, Michael earned around $2.9 million during its ninth three-day weekend in theaters. Despite the drop in ticket sales, the film has continued to show strong staying power. After losing 822 theaters and dealing with the impact of its digital release, the movie still managed to add enough revenue to reach a domestic total of $367.9 million.
That result puts Michael above The Jungle Book’s $366 million US run, making it one of the top 70 highest-grossing movies ever at the domestic box office.
The film is expected to continue climbing. Industry projections suggest it could soon pass films such as Despicable Me 2, The Secret Life of Pets and The Batman, all of which sit slightly higher on the domestic all-time chart.
The biggest target now is The Passion of the Christ, which earned $370.3 million in the US. If Michael continues to perform well, it could become the highest-grossing biographical film ever at the domestic box office.
The movie is currently aiming for a final US total somewhere between $370 million and $380 million, although its future performance could depend on how much the digital release affects theater attendance.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michael tells the story of Michael Jackson’s early career, from his years with the Jackson 5 during the 1960s through his famous Bad World Tour in the late 1980s.
Michael Jackson is played by his nephew Jaafar Jackson, who makes his acting debut in the film. Young Michael is portrayed by Juliano Valdi, also making his first major film appearance. The cast also includes Nia Long, Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Mike Myers, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula and KeiLyn Durrel Jones.
The film spent several years in development before moving forward. Producer Graham King first secured the rights to develop a Michael Jackson movie in 2019, with John Logan attached as writer. Lionsgate officially announced the project in 2022, while Fuqua joined as director in 2023.
Production began in 2024 after the main cast was assembled. However, the movie faced delays and changes, including additional filming after legal issues led to changes in the story. Reports stated that the final production budget grew to between $155 million and $200 million.
Michael premiered in Berlin before its worldwide theatrical release in April 2026. While the film has performed strongly with audiences, critics have been more divided. Reviews praised Jaafar Jackson’s performance but criticized the movie’s approach to telling the singer’s life story.
Despite the mixed critical response, the box office results have made Michael a major success. The film has become one of the biggest music biopics ever released and has helped bring renewed attention to the King of Pop’s career.
With its impressive theatrical run still continuing, Michael is now chasing even bigger records and could soon claim another major milestone in box office history.
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