The Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has made an explosive debut at the worldwide box office, setting new records for the highest opening weekend for a music biopic.
IMAGE: Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in Michael.
Key Points
- The Michael Jackson biopic Michael has achieved the highest opening weekend collection for a music biopic, grossing $217 million globally in its first weekend.
- The film is on track to potentially surpass Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing musical biopic.
- The article lists the top 10 musical biopics by their domestic opening weekend collections, showcasing the commercial success of films like Elvis, Rocketman, and Ray.
To hardly anyone’s surprise, Michael has taken off to a terrific start at the worldwide box office.
The biopic of the legendary King of Pop may have received mixed reviews, but that has hardly deterred the late icon’s immense global fanbase from barging into theatres to watch his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, replicate his uncle’s legendary moves on the big screen.
According to Bloomberg, Michael has opened to record-breaking numbers, registering the highest opening weekend worldwide for a music biopic.
A look at the top 10 musical biopics that took the box office by storm in their first weekend, ranked by their opening figures in North America.
10. I Can Only Imagine (2018)
Opening Weekend Collection: $17.1 million
IMAGE: J Michael Finley in I Can Only Imagine.
Directed by the Erwin Brothers, I Can Only Imagine tells the story behind the making of the titular song by the Christian band MercyMe, with John Michael Finley playing lead singer Bart Millard.
Embraced by Christian audiences, the film became a box office success, grossing $86.1 million on a reportedly modest $7 million budget.
9. Ray (2004)
Opening Weekend Collection: $20 million
IMAGE: Jamie Foxx in Ray.
Ray is a biopic on visually impaired soul musician Ray Charles, with Jamie Foxx delivering a Oscar-winning lead performance.
Directed by Taylor Hackford, the film was a box office success, grossing $124 million worldwide on a reported $40 million budget.
8. Walk the Line (2005)
Opening Weekend Collection: $22.4 million
IMAGE: Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line.
Before directing A Complete Unknown (2024) with Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, James Mangold helmed this biopic on another music legend.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Walk The Line explores the life of Johnny Cash, with Reese Witherspoon portraying singer June Carter, who later married Cash.
Made on a reported $28 million budget, the film grossed $186.8 million worldwide and earned Witherspoon the Academy Award for Best Actress.
7. Rocketman (2019)
Opening Weekend Collection: $25.7 million
IMAGE: Taron Egerton in Rocketman.
This biopic on British music icon Elton John was directed by Dexter Fletcher, with Taron Egerton playing the flamboyant musician.
Released to positive reviews, Rocketman went on to gross $195.3 million worldwide on a reported $40 million budget.
6. All Eyez on Me (2017)
Opening Weekend Collection: $26.4 million
IMAGE: Demetrius Shipp Jr in All Eyez on Me.
Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential figures in hip-hop before his tragic death in 1996.
Benny Boom’s biopic on his controversial life borrows its title from the album released the year of his passing, with Demetrius Shipp Jr playing the lead role.
Made on a reported budget of $45 million, the film grossed $55.7 million worldwide but, despite a strong opening, ended up as a box office underperformer.
5. Bob Marley: One Love (2024)
Opening Weekend Collection: $28.7 million
IMAGE: Lashana Lynch and Kingsley Ben-Adir in Bob Marley: One Love.
Kingsley Ben-Adir takes on the role of Jamaican reggae artist Bob Marley in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s film, which traces his rise as a global icon, culminating in the iconic 'One Love' peace concert.
The film was a solid commercial success, earning $181 million worldwide on a reported $70 million budget.
4. Elvis (2022)
Opening Weekend Collection: $31.2 million
IMAGE: Austin Butler in Elvis.
Austin Butler achieved breakout fame portraying Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s visually striking biopic.
The film also drew attention for Butler’s immersive preparation and Tom Hanks’s heavily made-up turn as Colonel Tom Parker.
Elvis went on to become a major box office success, grossing $288.7 million worldwide on a reported $85 million budget.
3. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Opening Weekend Collection: $51 million
IMAGE: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody.
Much like with Elvis Presley, the Western music scene holds a deep affection for British rock band Queen.
Bohemian Rhapsody, named after one of their biggest hits, centres on the controversial life of the band's lead singer Freddie Mercury, with Rami Malek in the lead role.
Malek won the Academy Award for Best Actor, while the film became a massive box office success, emerging as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time with $910.8 million worldwide on a $55 million budget.
2. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Opening Weekend Collection: $60.2 million
IMAGE: O'Shea Jackson Jr in Straight Outta Compton.
F Gary Gray’s film charts the rise and eventual breakup of iconic hip-hop group NWA, featuring artistes like Ice Cube, Dr Dre and Eazy-E.
The film launched the careers of O'Shea Jackson Jr, Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell, while also earning strong critical acclaim.
Made on a reported budget of $50 million, it went on to gross $201.6 million worldwide.
1. Michael (2026)
Opening Weekend Collection: $97 million
IMAGE: Jaafar Jackson in Michael.
Going by its record-breaking performance at the global box office, there is a strong chance that Michael could topple Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing musical biopic, and possibly even surpass Oppenheimer, currently the highest-grossing biopic worldwide.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film has grossed a staggering $217 million worldwide in its opening weekend in North America alone.
While critical responses remain sharply divided, its massive success underscores the global influence of Michael Jackson. For many fans, the spectacle of his music and performances outweighs the controversies, turning the film into a full-blown box office phenomenon.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff