The newly released Michael Jackson film, Michael, has had the largest ever box office opening for a music biopic after its debut in cinemas.
The movie features the late star’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the central role, and premiered last week. According to box office figures, it has already become a huge commercial success, taking in $217million (£160million) globally, and $97million (£71million) in the US (via Variety).
That makes it the best start ever for a biopic, beating Straight Outta Compton, which opened to $60million (£44million), and Bohemian Rhapsody at $51million (£37million), while earning the second-highest film debut of 2026 so far, behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Its release has proved controversial, notably amid child sex abuse allegations against the late singer. It was recently reported by Variety that that the film’s third act, which would’ve explored the impact of allegations of child molestation, was scrapped.
Jackson’s estate reportedly paid for reshoots after the emergence of a clause in a settlement by the first of his accusers, Jordan Chandler, that barred him from being depicted on screen.
Jackson reached an out-of-court settlement with Chandler’s family in 1994 for $25million (£18million), while a case file was closed a few months later after prosecutors cited lack of evidence to proceed without the testimony of the Chandler family.
The singer was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks in 2003 in relation to 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo. Jackson denied the charges and was acquitted in 2005 after a trial.
James Safechuck, one of the accusers featured in 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, recently shared a statement in support of child sex abuse survivors amid the release of the new biopic.
He and Wade Robson were interviewed for the two-part documentary, alleging they were sexually abused by Jackson as children.
“It can be triggering for survivors who have their own Michael in their lives, whether it’s the priest who’s close to God or the sports coach who’s just helping the kids or the step-parent who’s supporting the family,” Safechuck said. “Our abusers are praised sometimes, even after we come out and tell the truth.
“I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and that there are other survivors out there that understand what you’re going through and that are there with you. And that if you’re feeling all the feels, then lean into people that are close to you, lean into people that support you and that give you love, and know that you’re not alone.”
He added: “Telling the truth and telling what happened is a good thing, and that it’s a part of your healing. Alright, I love you, bye.”
Jackson’s estate previous responded to the documentary, calling its best documentary or nonfiction special documentary win at the Creative Arts Emmys “a complete farce” (via The Hollywood Reporter), adding: “Not one shred of proof supports this completely one-sided, so-called documentary which was made in secrecy and for which not one person outside of the two subjects and their families were interviewed.”
The documentary’s director Dan Reed has spoken out against Michael, claiming the singer was “worse than Jeffrey Epstein”, while also questioning why the film fails to address the abuse allegations.
Meanwhile, the film’s director Antoine Fuqua recently said he “was sceptical of some of the accusers’” parents, while also suggesting that “sometimes people do some nasty things for some money”.
However, Reed said in response: “For Antoine Fuqua to accuse people of gold digging is kind of ironic. It seems to me all the people involved in this movie are just making bank,” while saying that Safechuck and Robson “have never made a cent from their accusations”.
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.”
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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