The biographical film Michael, starring the late pop star's nephew Jaafar Jackson, has grossed $217 million worldwide since its Wednesday opening, surpassing both the previous musical biopic record held by Bohemian Rhapsody ($124m in 2018) and the broader biopic record set by Oppenheimer ($180m in 2024). The film, backed by Jackson's estate and featuring his original vocals, drew a striking divide in reception — earning a 97% audience score against just 38% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with distributor Lionsgate noting broad appeal across all demographics. Notably absent from the film are the sexual abuse allegations that dogged Jackson during his lifetime; planned sequences addressing those claims were cut after a rediscovered non-disclosure agreement from a 1990s settlement legally barred the estate from depicting one accuser, prompting extensive reshoots that pushed the production budget to roughly $200 million.