Michael tops global box office with $217M debut

The musical biopic Michael has delivered a record-breaking global debut, grossing $97 million in the United States and Canada and $217.4 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

The film, distributed by Lionsgate and supported internationally by Universal Pictures, earned an additional $120.4 million from 82 international markets, highlighting strong global demand and widespread audience turnout.

According to box office analytics firm EntTelligence, about 6.3 million people watched the film across North America alone, surpassing the 4.9 million admissions recorded by Project Hail Mary during its opening weekend.

The film maintained steady momentum through the weekend, with Saturday earnings in the US reaching $32.5 million. That figure reflected only an 18 per cent drop from Friday’s $39.5 million total, including previews, signalling sustained audience interest.

When preview earnings are excluded, Saturday actually rose 21 per cent compared to Friday’s core performance, which stood at $26.9 million.

Premium formats played a major role in the opening success. IMAX screenings alone generated $24.4 million globally, the highest IMAX debut ever for a musical biopic. In North America, IMAX contributed $13.8 million from 427 screens, accounting for 14 per cent of domestic revenue.

Industry projections suggest the film is on track to cross the $100 million domestic mark, depending on final Sunday figures, positioning it as the biggest live-action opening of 2026 so far.

Despite a reported production budget of about $200 million, the film faced multiple challenges, including controversies surrounding the Michael Jackson estate and additional reshoots that extended production by 20 days. The estate reportedly covered $50 million in overage costs.

Studio executives, however, remained confident in the project throughout production, describing it as a high-risk but high-reward release backed by strong marketing and distribution support.

The promotional campaign combined traditional advertising with large-scale global activations, including flash mobs in 20 cities, themed marching band performances, and immersive theatre installations.

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Social media engagement also surged, with the trailer reaching 116.2 million views within 24 hours and total online content generating more than 564 million views across platforms such as TikTok and X.

With its opening performance, Michael has boosted the overall 2026 box office, contributing to an estimated $154.3 million weekend total in North America and pushing year-to-date earnings to $2.6 billion.

In the weekend rankings, Michael led comfortably ahead of Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which earned $21.2 million in its fourth week, and Project Hail Mary, which grossed $13.2 million in its sixth week.