- Michael opened with $97M in the US/Canada and $217.4M globally, making it one of 2026’s biggest box office debuts.
- The film drew about 6.3 million viewers in North America and performed strongly in IMAX, earning a record $24.4M globally in that format.
- It faced production challenges, including reshoots and controversies, pushing the budget to about $200M.
- Strong marketing, viral campaigns, and positive audience reactions helped it outperform rivals like Project Hail Mary.
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The highly anticipated biopic Michael has stormed the global box office, delivering one of the biggest opening weekends of 2026 and setting new records along the way.
The film, which tells the story of icon Michael Jackson pulled in a massive $97 million across the United States and Canada, while its global total hit an impressive $217.4 million. Out of that, $120.4 million came from 82 international markets, showing just how strong its worldwide appeal is.
In North American alone, about 6.3 million people went to see the movie during its opening weekend, according to EntTelligence. That’s well ahead of Project Hail Mary, which recorded 4.9 million admissions in its debut
The numbers didn’t slow down as the weekend went on. On Saturday, the movie made $32.5 million in the US, only a small drop from Friday’s $39.5 million (which included previews). Interestingly, when previews are removed, Saturday actually jumped 21% above Friday’s core earnings, a sign that demand stayed strong.
Premium screenings also played a big role. IMAX alone brought in $24.4 million globally, making it the biggest IMAX opening ever for a musical biopic. In North America, IMAX contributed $13.8 million from 427 screens, accounting for about 14% of total domestic earnings.
The film is already being tipped to cross the $100 million mark in the US, which would cement it as the biggest live-action opening of the year, ahead of Project Hail Mary’s $80.5 million debut.
Despite the huge success, getting the movie to the cinemas wasn’t exactly smooth. Production faced some serious challenges, including controversies tied to the Jackson estate and how certain characters were portrayed. At one point, the project needed an extra 20 days of filming, with the estate reportedly covering around $50 million in additional costs. That pushed the total budget to roughly $200 million.
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