‘Michael’ becomes first biopic to make $1billion at the box office

Michael has officially become the first biopic to make $1billion at the box office.

• Read More: ‘Michael’ review: safe, shiny reminder of the King Of Pop’s musical genius

The film, which follows the life of Michael Jackson, features the late singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson portraying the star, following the beginning of his career in the Jackson 5 up until the ‘Bad’ world tour in the late 1980s.

After debuting to the largest-ever opening weekend for a biopic and subsequently becoming the highest-grossing biopic ever made, beating Oppenheimer, it has now been confirmed that Michael has taken in £1.001billion (£750million) globally, making it the first of its genre to pass the milestone.

“Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with Michael is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew, and partners,” said director Antoine Fuqua.

“This achievement belongs to everyone who came together with a shared vision to honour one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. I am profoundly grateful to the audiences around the globe who embraced this film, showed up in theatres, and connected with this story across generations and cultures.

“This historic milestone is a testament to the enduring power of cinema to bring us together, and it is a chapter in movie history I will never forget.”

The film concludes with a concert at Wembley Stadium and the words: “His Story Continues”, and it has been confirmed that Michael will be getting a sequel, which may not follow on chronologically from the end of the first film.

The follow-up looks set to address the child sexual abuse allegations against Jackson, which was originally in the screenplay for Michael. However, reshoots took place after a clause in a legal settlement was discovered to forbid the Jackson estate from mentioning one of the accusers, Jordan Chandler.

Last month, it was also confirmed that James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who made separate allegations of abuse by Jackson in 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, had been given a new trial date of 2028.

In NME’s three-star review of Michael, we said: “Michael feels like a job well done: it’s a slick, accessible advert for Jackson’s incredible imperial phase. But if the singer’s estate wanna be startin’ somethin’ bigger like a film franchise, they’ll have their work cut out.”