‘Michael’ surpasses Oscar-winner to become highest grossing biopic
Michael Jackson was not only the King of Pop, he's also proving to be the King of the box-office.
Almost two decades after his death, Jackson's biopic, "Michael" is creating history at the box-office while being set to touch the coveted $1 billion mark.
As per the latest reports, "Michael" has also created history by becoming the highest grossing biopic of all time, dethroning Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning 2023 mega-project "Oppenheimer."
Following its release on April 24, "Michael" has earned $977 million, surpassing the lifetime collection of "Oppenheimer," which stands at $975 million. Trailing them at the third place is Queen's 2018 biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody" at $911 million.
"Michael," directed by Antoine Fuqua, focuses on the popstar's storied journey from Jackson 5 band to his global dominance. The King of Pop's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portrays the role of Michael Jackson for the biopic. Colman Domingo and Nia Long portray the roles of the singer's parents, Joe and Katherine.
Despite the envious box-office numbers, the film opened to a moderate critics rating, as the Tomatometer rates the film at 38%. Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter, which aggregates the viewers' reviews, conversely, rates the film at 97%.
The fans are, thus, not at all surprised as they noted that the King would have eventually claimed the throne.
"It was only a matter of time. The King of Pop 👑," gushed one fan.
Someone added: "see when you’re the king of pop."
"Seventeen years gone and Michael Jackson is still releasing number ones 😂," joked another fan.
"The King will never be usurped," declared another fan.
However, a social media user pointed out: "Apples and oranges. Oppenheimer was an R rated release."
Despite the difference in the certifications of the two movies with "Michael" getting a PG-13, and Cillian Murphy-starrer "Oppenheimer" an R, the relevance of the "Thriller" hitmaker's biopic cannot be ignored. The film opened to to $97 million in the domestic market while earning $217 million globally.
Despite commanding a storm at the box-office, "Michael" is not beyond the scope of criticism. After the film's release, several critics have commented on the film's lack of delving into the controversial aspects of Michael Jackson's life. However, notwithstanding the criticism, the film is still doing well at the box-office, and on its way to grossing $1 billion.
"Oppenheimer," meanwhile, earned seven out of its 13 nominations in the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, including the Best Director for Nolan, Best Actor for Murphy and the Best Picture award.