Jaafar Jackson Makes Cinema History as “Michael” Biopic Surpasses $1 Billion Globally

Jaafar Jackson makes his Met Gala debut in New York wearing a custom, Michael Jackson-inspired velvet blazer by Polo Ralph Lauren. Photo Credit: Jaafar Jackson/Instagram

The global box office has a historic new milestone, and it belongs to a member of music royalty. The highly anticipated biographical film “Michael” has officially crossed the $1 billion mark in global ticket sales, rewriting the record books of modern cinema.

At the centre of this achievement is Jaafar Jackson, who plays his late uncle, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. With this box office run, Jaafar Jackson has officially become the first lead actor in cinema history to have their feature film acting debut cross the $1 billion milestone.

For a debut performance to reach this tier of commercial success is entirely unprecedented. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film tracks the rise of Michael Jackson from his early touring days with the Jackson 5 to his monumental solo superstardom in the late 1980s.

Actor Jaafar Jackson wears a replica of Michael Jackson’s iconic 1984 Victory Tour stage costume on the set of the biographical film Michael. Photo Credit: Jaafar Jackson/Instagram

The film has maintained immense box office momentum across international territories. According to official distribution figures, Michael has grossed $1,001,690,578 globally. This impressive total was secured through an exceptional international run that brought in $629.8 million overseas, paired with a highly successful domestic run in North America which accounted for $371.8 million.

These figures place the film into an incredibly exclusive box office bracket. It is only the second movie released in 2026 to join the billion-dollar club, following closely behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

Director Antoine Fuqua recreates the historic 1983 Thriller music video shoot with Jaafar Jackson for the biographical film Michael. Photo Credit: Jaafar Jackson/Instagram

This remarkable theatrical run has broken several long-standing industry records, starting with its ascension to the highest-grossing biopic of all time. By surpassing Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer,” which grossed $975.8 million, Michael has rewritten the history books for biographical cinema. In doing so, it also comfortably overtook the previous musical biopic record-holder, Bohemian Rhapsody ($911 million), to claim the undisputed top spot in the musical genre.

Additionally, this achievement marks a historic milestone for Lionsgate, representing the first time in the studio’s history that a film has crossed the coveted $1 billion threshold. This run easily eclipses previous Lionsgate record-holders, including The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which earned $865.2 million, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, which brought in $850 million.

The film, which features a supporting cast including Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson, was developed with the support of the Jackson family. With its focus on the legendary Bad era, the film’s concluding moments hint at further stories, with a sequel already confirmed to be in development.

Actor Jaafar Jackson inspects recreated stage costumes during a wardrobe fitting for the biographical film Michael. Photo Credit: Jaafar Jackson/Instagram