The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” has become one of the biggest box office stories of 2026, grossing over $808 million worldwide against a production budget of around $200 million. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring MJ’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, the film opened on April 24, 2026, with a $97. 2 million domestic debut—the largest opening weekend in music biopic history. While critics gave the film a 38% score on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences rated it 97%.
The film has since become the second-highest-grossing music biopic of all time, surpassing “Elvis,” and is tracking toward the record held by “Bohemian Rhapsody” at $910 million. By its sixth weekend, “Michael” had reportedly reached $846. 2 million worldwide, with $339. 9 million from domestic theaters and $506.
3 million from international markets. The film’s performance has put it ahead of every Marvel Studios release from 2025, including “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” combined. The gap between critical and audience reception—38% versus 97%—has become a central talking point in a larger debate about Hollywood’s approach to audience engagement. That debate has been shaped by a series of high-profile box office failures involving actresses who publicly criticized their own audiences before their films opened.
Rachel Zegler faced backlash beginning in 2022, before “Snow White” had even released a full trailer. In interviews, she dismissed the original 1937 Disney film as outdated, calling the romance in the classic animated movie problematic and describing the character as passive. She stated the new version would feature a “proactive” lead instead. In August 2024, Zegler used a promotional post for the “Snow White” trailer to include political statements.
After the 2024 U. S. election, she posted a since-deleted Instagram story in which she wished that Donald Trump supporters, voters, and Trump himself “never know peace. ” The post was widely screenshotted and fueled boycott calls.
Disney, a company whose brand depends on family audiences, faced a star who had directly alienated a significant portion of that demographic. “Snow White” opened in March 2025 and became the biggest box office bomb of that year. It grossed roughly $205 million worldwide against a production budget estimated between $270 million and $336 million. Losses were projected at over $200 million.
Disney later re-released the film in May 2025, but it grossed just $335,000 across 1,330 theaters—an average of about $251 per theater. Zegler later addressed the backlash publicly, breaking down in tears during an emotional response. She described the experience as “hard” and “lonely,” saying, “It’s very lonely. ” She also shared a message about perseverance, comparing herself to the Winged Victory of Samothrace, which arrived at the Louvre in pieces but still draws crowds.
The response did not change the film’s theatrical fate. Zegler, however, was not the first to follow this pattern. It traces back to Brie Larson. In June 2018, at the Crystal + Lucy Awards, Larson accepted an award for excellence in film and cited a study on diversity in film criticism.
In her speech, she noted the lack of representation among film critics and said she was not “saying that I hate white dudes. ” The line spread widely, with some claiming it was taken out of context and others arguing the full context made it worse. The backlash preceded the release of “Captain Marvel” in 2019. Fan backlash led to review bombing on Rotten Tomatoes, and the platform removed its “want-to-see” feature in response.
“Captain Marvel” still performed well financially, but fans did not forget. By the time the sequel, “The Marvels,” arrived in 2023, it became the biggest box office flop of that year, grossing around $206 million worldwide with net losses estimated at $237 million. Notably, “Snow White” grossed $205 million worldwide. “The Marvels” grossed $206 million.
The near-identical figures, across different studios and years, have been pointed to as evidence of a recurring pattern. The third case is still unfolding. Milly Alcock is set to star as Supergirl in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe, with the film scheduled for release on June 26, 2026, on a reported budget of around $170 million. Before a single ticket has been sold, Alcock has generated significant controversy.
In a May 2026 interview with Variety, Alcock was asked about online criticism she has received. She dismissed many of her critics as anonymous burner accounts, specifically mocking “profiles identifying themselves as dad of four Christian,” calling them “hilarious. ” She also said, “If you’re pissing the right kind of people off, you’re doing okay. ” In earlier press comments, she addressed fan criticism by saying, “We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies.
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The comments have drawn criticism because “Supergirl” depends on family audiences, including Christian parents bringing their children to theaters. Tracking data has already shown a decline. The film is currently forecast to open between $47 million and $65 million domestically. For comparison, “Superman,” the previous DCU release, opened to $122 million.
“The Marvels” opened to $46 million. The Quorum, a research group tracking audience interest, reported the film at 53% awareness but only 46% interest, with that number declining after the Christian dad comments. Additionally, DC Studios co-head Peter Safran reportedly reached out to Alcock after the backlash intensified and told her she was handling it “beautifully” and should “be true to herself.
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