Particle.news

‘Michael’ Opens to $217 Million, Setting Biopic Box-Office Record

Audience enthusiasm across demographics drives the result despite low critic scores.

Overview

  • The film earned $217 million worldwide in its first weekend, marking the biggest debut ever for a biographical movie.
  • The launch topped Oppenheimer’s $180 million biopic opening and pushed Bohemian Rhapsody to third with $124 million.
  • Critics and audiences split sharply, with Rotten Tomatoes showing about 38% approval from reviewers and about 97% from viewers.
  • The story focuses on Michael Jackson’s rise through the Bad era, and reports note that any second installment has not been announced.
  • Variety reported that planned scenes touching on 1993 abuse allegations were removed after the estate found a clause barring dramatization, which led to delays and reshoots.