Michael Jackson Biopic Shatters Records: First Music Biopic to Surpass $1 Billion

The Michael Jackson biopic Michael arrives on Starz on Aug. 10. It crossed $1 billion at box offices around the world, making it the first biopic ever to reach that mark, according to USA Today. The movie opened in theaters April 24 and pulled in $372.3 million across North America, with $1.010 billion total from ticket sales worldwide.

This marks Lionsgate's biggest movie of all time. It's their first to crack $1 billion. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore and rated it 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, according to World of Reel, though critics weren't as kind — they scored it just 38%.

Antoine Fuqua directed while John Logan wrote the script. Michael tracks Jackson's climb from the Jackson 5 in the 1960s through his Bad tour in the late 1980s. Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the late singer, stars in his debut performance. Juliano Valdi plays Jackson as a child.

The cast features Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson. Miles Teller appears as lawyer John Branca. Laura Harrier plays producer Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham takes on Diana Ross and Larenz Tate portrays Berry Gordy.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman had high praise for Jaafar Jackson's work. He "nails the look, the voice, the electrostatic moves — and, more than that, the mixture of delicacy and steel that made Michael who he was," Gleiberman said in Variety.

Lionsgate announced the project in February 2022. Fuqua and Jaafar Jackson signed on a year later in February 2023. A sequel is now in the works.

Subscribers can watch on Starz apps and streaming services. The Starz channel will broadcast its TV premiere that same day at 7 p.m. ET/PT.