Music biopic "Michael" overtakes "Oppenheimer" as the most successful biopic worldwide

From music record to overall record

"Michael" is directed by the American Antoine Fuqua. The lead role is played by the singer's nephew, Jaafar Jackson (29). "Michael" tells the story of Jackson's childhood through the "Bad" tour of the 1980s, tracing the rise of the "King of Pop," born in 1958 and deceased in 2009.

The previous frontrunner, "Oppenheimer," is the biopic about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who researched the atomic bomb. Christopher Nolan's biopic won seven Oscars in March 2024, including awards for best picture, directing, best actor (Cillian Murphy), and best supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.).

What "Oppenheimer" previously achieved

In direct comparison, the gap between the two frontrunners remains narrow. "Oppenheimer" grossed just under 975 million US dollars, while "Michael" grossed around 977 million US dollars. Both films are therefore above the 900-million mark, previously reached in the music segment only by "Bohemian Rhapsody."

The data basis for the ranking is provided by the industry portal "Box Office Mojo," which tracks cinema revenues worldwide. The platform now lists "Michael" as number one among biopics, ahead of "Oppenheimer" and the Queen portrait "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Criticism of the omission of allegations

Alongside the commercial figures, the film is also sparking discussion about its editorial direction. The film omits key episodes from the pop star's life, including the abuse allegations against the singer. A teenager's accusations of sexual assault led to a 2005 "trial of the century," which ended with Jackson's triumphant acquittal on all charges.

These allegations, which later tarnished his image and were only made public years after "Bad," are absent from the film. Numerous film critics therefore accuse "Michael" of painting an overly smooth and uncritical portrait of the singer and of omitting essential parts of his biography.

For the industry, however, the success remains remarkable. A biopic that overtakes both the previous music biopic record holder and the previous overall record holder within just a few months of release was not firmly on the radar in this form. Industry observers view the result as evidence of the persistently strong demand for musician portraits in cinemas.

"Oppenheimer," in turn, had already crowned its commercial ascent in 2024 with its Oscar success. Seven trophies, including best picture, cemented the film's reputation and made it the benchmark against which subsequent productions had to measure themselves.

Outlook on further developments

With its leap to the top, "Michael" sets a new benchmark for the genre. Whether the film can use the upcoming Oscar-adjacent months to win an award of its own remains to be seen. What is certain is that the biopic about the "King of Pop" overshadows the previous frontrunner — at least in terms of worldwide box office success.

Box Office Mojo currently lists "Michael" as the commercially most successful biopic, narrowly ahead of "Oppenheimer" and well ahead of "Bohemian Rhapsody." The industry will be watching weekly intakes over the coming weeks to see whether the result can be expanded further or whether the new record will hold at this level.