{"id":909605,"date":"2026-05-31T15:18:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T20:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/31\/michael-opens-with-217-million-global-box-office\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T15:18:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T20:18:06","slug":"michael-opens-with-217-million-global-box-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/31\/michael-opens-with-217-million-global-box-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Opens With $217 Million Global Box Office"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Music <\/p>\n<div>\n<section data-editable=\"top\" data-track-zone=\"top\">\n<nav data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/global-nav\/instances\/social-off@published\" aria-label=\"New York Magazine sites\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<\/nav>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<section data-editable=\"main\" data-track-zone=\"main\">\n<article role=\"main\" data-track-type=\"article-detail\" data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/article\/instances\/cmog3phr5000l0ii50haifsib@published\" data-content-channel=\"News\" data-crosspost data-type=\"News-Aggregation\" data-syndication=\"original\" data-headline=\"Michael Opens With $217 Million Global Box Office\" data-authors=\"Bethy Squires\" data-publish-date=\"2026-04-26\" data-tags=\"boffo b.o., michael, michael jackson, biopics, musical biopics, movies, music\" data-issue-date data-components-count=\"5\" data-canonical-url=\"http:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/michael-box-office-opening.html\" data-lede-size=\"inset\">\n<header>\n<div>\n<p><span><br \/>\n                  <a href=\"\/\/www.vulture.com\/author\/bethy-squires\/\" rel=\"author\"><br \/>\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pyxis.nymag.com\/v1\/imgs\/363\/0f8\/72f6c297a4dac60b9ddf750dc6f2103e6e-Bethy-Squires.2x.rsquare.w168.jpg\" alt=\"music Portrait of Bethy Squires\"><br \/>\n                  <\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><br \/>\n            <span data-editable=\"bylines\"><\/p>\n<p>              <\/span>\n          <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div id=\"vulture-zephr-anchor\" data-editable=\"content\">\n<div>\n<div>\n            <picture><source media=\"(min-resolution: 192dpi) and (min-width: 1180px), (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) and (min-width: 1180px)\"  width=\"330\" height=\"330\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1180px) \"  width=\"330\" height=\"330\"><source media=\"(min-resolution: 192dpi) and (min-width: 768px), (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) and (min-width: 768px)\"  width=\"330\" height=\"330\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"  width=\"330\" height=\"330\"><source media=\"(min-resolution: 192dpi), (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)\"  width=\"330\" height=\"330\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pyxis.nymag.com\/v1\/imgs\/0e4\/50c\/89746ca07ec27abc7e2ad671bbffab9b4c-michael-box-office.rsquare.w330.jpg\" data-content-img alt=\"music Premiere Of Lionsgate\u2019s \u201cMichael\u201d - Arrivals\" width=\"330\" height=\"330\" fetchpriority=\"high\"> <\/picture>\n          <\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span>Photo: Emma McIntyre\/WireImage<\/span>\n              <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/clay-paragraph\/instances\/cmog3phr5000i0ii56ywn15bn@published\" data-word-count=\"48\">What a stunning weekend for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/how-did-we-end-up-with-michael-our-critics-discuss.html\">brand management<\/a>! <em>Michael, <\/em>the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/review-michael-isnt-a-movie-its-a-wax-museum.html\">critically reviled<\/a> Michael Jackson biopic, earned over $200 million at the box office globally in its first weekend. $120 million of that was overseas. The film almost broke $100 mil domestically, with a $97 million b.o. its first weekend.<\/p>\n<p data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/clay-paragraph\/instances\/cmog40p1p00133b7cva3a1gzw@published\" data-word-count=\"137\"><em>Michael <\/em>now holds the record for best opening for a biopic ever, blowing past <em>Straight Outta Compton<\/em>\u2019s $60.2 million \u2014 which it was expected to do. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/michael-got-bad-reviews-can-it-still-rule-the-box-office.html\">Tracking<\/a> put the domestic tally at somewhere between $65 and $70 million, and those expectations were far exceeded. The film also made back its reported $170 million budget, including the $15 mil of reshoots that were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/michael-jackson-biopic-reshoots.html\">legally required<\/a>. The original cut of the film included a framing device depicting the people who accused Jackson of child sexual abuse as \u201cmoney-grubbing\u201d opportunists \u201cwhose unfounded claims force Jackson to endure ridicule and persecution until he ultimately settles, his resolve and reputation forever in tatters,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/puck.news\/michael-jackson-movie-imperiled-by-a-dark-secret\/\">Puck\u2019s Matt Belloni<\/a> wrote in January of last year. But a lawsuit settlement stated the Chandler family could not be shown at all in any dramatization of Jackson\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<p data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/clay-paragraph\/instances\/cmog414ks001a3b7cex6ryoib@published\" data-word-count=\"74\">The question now becomes this: sequel? The film ends with a James Bond\u2013esque \u201cHis Story Continues\u201d title card. But if the estate is legally prohibited from depicting basically the entire second half of Jackson\u2019s life, what would a second movie even be about? Lisa Marie? Or maybe the filming of Martin Bashir\u2019s <em>Living With Michael Jackson<\/em>? If <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/are-janet-randy-jackson-michael-biopic.html\"><em>Michael <\/em>doesn\u2019t need Janet<\/a>, <em>Michael 2 <\/em>can basically be about anything. Except \u201cScream,\u201d they can\u2019t do \u201cScream.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <span><em>Michael<\/em> Opens With $217 Million Global Box Office<\/span><\/p>\n<p>    <dialog><br \/>\n      <span><br \/>\n        <svg width=\"6\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 6 14\" fill=\"none\">\n  <path d=\"M4.84191 13.478C4.84191 13.826 4.64391 14 4.24791 14H1.54791C1.22391 14 1.06191 13.85 1.06191 13.55V10.85C1.06191 10.586 1.17591 10.454 1.40391 10.454H4.51791C4.73391 10.454 4.84191 10.574 4.84191 10.814V13.478ZM4.13991 8.708C4.12791 8.888 4.07391 9.02 3.97791 9.104C3.89391 9.176 3.74991 9.212 3.54591 9.212H2.30391C2.12391 9.212 2.00391 9.176 1.94391 9.104C1.89591 9.032 1.85991 8.918 1.83591 8.762L0.935906 1.058C0.923906 0.926 0.947906 0.823999 1.00791 0.751999C1.07991 0.679999 1.16991 0.643999 1.27791 0.643999H4.67991C4.91991 0.643999 5.02791 0.769999 5.00391 1.022L4.13991 8.708Z\" fill=\"#DB2800\" \/>\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<p>      <\/span><br \/>\n      <span><\/span><br \/>\n      <span><br \/>\n        <svg width=\"14\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 13\" fill=\"none\">\n  <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M12.9823 1.22855C13.1775 1.03329 13.1775 0.716709 12.9823 0.521447C12.787 0.326184 12.4704 0.326184 12.2751 0.521447L7.00185 5.79474L1.72855 0.521447C1.53329 0.326184 1.21671 0.326184 1.02145 0.521447C0.826184 0.716709 0.826184 1.03329 1.02145 1.22855L6.29474 6.50185L1.02145 11.7751C0.826184 11.9704 0.826184 12.287 1.02145 12.4823C1.21671 12.6775 1.53329 12.6775 1.72855 12.4823L7.00185 7.20896L12.2751 12.4823C12.4704 12.6775 12.787 12.6775 12.9823 12.4823C13.1775 12.287 13.1775 11.9704 12.9823 11.7751L7.70896 6.50185L12.9823 1.22855Z\" fill=\"#DA4022\" \/>\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<p>      <\/span><br \/>\n    <\/dialog><\/p>\n<p>    <dialog><br \/>\n      <span><br \/>\n        <svg width=\"18\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 21\" fill=\"none\">\n<path d=\"M4.07002 7.20843C4.84252 4.32542 7.80589 2.61452 10.6889 3.38702C13.5719 4.15952 15.2828 7.12289 14.5103 10.0059L13.2683 14.6412L2.82799 11.8437L4.07002 7.20843Z\" fill=\"#F85D00\" \/>\n<path d=\"M8.18875 17.3335C7.69348 18.1913 6.59659 18.4852 5.73877 17.99C4.88095 17.4947 4.58704 16.3978 5.0823 15.54L5.85212 14.2066L8.95857 16.0001L8.18875 17.3335Z\" fill=\"#F85D00\" \/>\n<path d=\"M1.00049 13.3594L14.0933 16.8676\" stroke=\"#F85D00\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" \/>\n<path d=\"M8.92985 3.02536C9.18622 2.06859 10.1697 1.5008 11.1264 1.75716C12.0832 2.01353 12.651 2.99698 12.3946 3.95375L11.9853 5.48136L8.52053 4.55297L8.92985 3.02536Z\" fill=\"#F85D00\" \/>\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<p>      <\/span><br \/>\n      <span>Your product is saved! You\u2019ll receive emails when your saved products go on sale. <a>Manage preferences.<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n      <span><br \/>\n        <svg width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\">\n<path d=\"M12 0.707031L6.70703 6L11.707 11L11 11.707L6 6.70703L1 11.707L0.292969 11L5.29297 6L0 0.707031L0.707031 0L6 5.29297L11.293 0L12 0.707031Z\" fill=\"#767676\" \/>\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<p>      <\/span><br \/>\n    <\/dialog><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<section data-editable=\"tertiary\" data-track-zone=\"tertiary\">\n<p data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/disclaimer-text\/instances\/revenue-disclaimer@published\">Things you buy through our links may earn\u00a0<i>Vox Media<\/i>\u00a0a commission.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<section data-uri=\"www.vulture.com\/_components\/most-popular\/instances\/homepage@published\" data-track-type=\"article-list\" data-editable=\"secondary\" data-track-zone=\"secondary\" data-nosnippet>\n<ol>\n<li 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Michael, the critically reviled Michael Jackson biopic, earned over $200 million at the box office globally in its first weekend. $120 million of that was overseas. The film almost broke $100 mil domestically, with a $97 million b.o. its first weekend. Michael now holds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":909606,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[131522],"class_list":["post-909605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business-news","tag-podcast-music"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=909605"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909605\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/909606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=909605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=909605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=909605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}