Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, simply titled Michael, shattered box office records in its opening weekend, pulling in $97. 2 million domestically and $121. 6 million internationally for a global total of $218. 8 million.
That debut marked the biggest opening ever for a biographical film, surpassing the previous record held by Oppenheimer, which opened to $80 million. The film, which cost $200 million to produce, is already projected to reach $700 million worldwide. The movie’s commercial success stands in stark contrast to its critical reception. Critics gave the film a score of roughly 38 to 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences awarded it a 96 percent rating.
The 56-point gap between critical and audience scores has become a central talking point in the discourse surrounding the film. The biopic stars Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, in the lead role. The film was produced by Lionsgate, a smaller studio that had not been a major player in awards-season conversations in recent years, rather than one of Hollywood’s dominant names like Disney, Universal, or Warner Brothers. The movie’s performance has been compared directly to Disney’s recent live-action Snow White, which became one of the biggest box office bombs in Hollywood history.
Snow White cost approximately $336. 5 million to produce, a number made public through the UK-based production company Hidden Heart Productions, which is subject to full financial disclosure laws. The film grossed around $205 million worldwide, resulting in an estimated loss of roughly $168. 7 million.
Michael made more money in its domestic opening weekend alone than Snow White made in its entire worldwide run. Amid the film’s success, Michael Jackson’s own family has been visibly divided. Paris Jackson, the singer’s daughter, publicly criticized the film. She revealed that she had read the first draft of the script and provided feedback to the producers, but said her notes were ignored entirely.
She called the film full of outright lies and accused Hollywood of pandering to a specific segment of her father’s fandom. She skipped both the Berlin and Los Angeles premieres and stated that she prefers honesty over sales and monetary gain. Paris Jackson is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute with the executors of Michael Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain. She has accused them of mishandling the estate’s money and mismanaging its affairs.
The executors have said she has already received approximately $65 million in benefits from the estate. Janet Jackson has remained silent about the film. She did not appear at either premiere and has not made any public statement about it. Reports indicated she turned down an offer to be involved in the project.
There were also reports of a heated argument between Janet and her brother Jermaine Jackson after a private family screening, although their sister LaToya later denied that any such fight took place. Colman Domingo, who plays Joe Jackson in the film, said at the Venice Film Festival that Paris Jackson had been supportive of the movie and helpful during the production process. Paris publicly contradicted that claim, saying she had nothing to do with the final product and had no involvement beyond the ignored feedback on the first draft. LaToya Jackson attended the Los Angeles red carpet but did not confirm whether more family members would appear in future promotions, deferring questions to the producers and studio.
Jackie Jackson offered public praise for Jaafar Jackson’s performance, saying he became Michael on screen and that he was moved to tears. Randy and Rebbie Jackson both declined any involvement in the film. The film’s success has also renewed attention on Hollywood figures who have stayed quiet about it. Oprah Winfrey, who hosted the 2019 HBO special After Neverland following the documentary Leaving Neverland, has posted nothing about the Michael biopic on her social media accounts and has not commented on it publicly.
In the earlier special, Winfrey said on camera that the moment transcended Michael Jackson and called the issue a societal corruption that happens in families, churches, schools, and sports teams. Tom Hanks has also remained silent on the film. His noticeable discomfort during Ricky Gervais’s jokes at the 2020 Golden Globes became a viral meme, and Gervais later said on a podcast that Hanks appeared to feel above the jokes. In 2026, Hanks has made no public statement about the film’s record-breaking run.
By contrast, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, Usher, Raven-Symoné, Martin Lawrence, and Chance the Rapper all attended the biopic’s premiere. Ricky Gervais has re-emerged in the conversation due to his history of criticizing Hollywood. At the January 2020 Golden Globes, his fifth and final time hosting, he told the audience they were in no position to lecture the public about anything, noting that most of them spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. In February 2026, after celebrities used the Grammy stage for political speeches, Gervais posted a photo from his 2020 Golden Globes moment on X with the caption, “They’re still not listening.
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The success of Michael has been framed by observers as evidence that audiences respond to films that respect them and focus on story rather than messaging. The 96 percent audience score, the record-breaking box office numbers, and the contrast with Snow White’s failure have all fueled the argument that there is a significant disconnect between Hollywood’s critical establishment and the general moviegoing public.