Michael Jackson Biopic Surpasses The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in Opening Weekend Box Office

Michael, a biopic centered on the life of Michael Jackson, has taken the crown at the U.S. box office, surpassing The Super Mario Galaxy Movie after a robust opening weekend.

In the domestic market, reports indicate that Michael has raked in $97 million, while its global debut reached $217 million. Although its three-day opening wasn’t as massive as The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s, it was sufficient to secure the top position this weekend. The top ten film grosses for the weekend of April 24 highlight this achievement.

While Michael may have had the second-largest opening of 2026, it still set some impressive records. The film surpassed the opening weekend record previously held by Straight Outta Compton and achieved the highest-grossing first three days for any Lionsgate release since The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 in 2015. Michael now holds the opening weekend record that all other live-action films released this year will aim to beat, even though The Super Mario Galaxy Movie remains the overall leader.

Critics have not been as favorable towards the film, which chronicles the life of one of music’s most iconic figures. It currently holds a “generally unfavorable” Metascore of 39 on Metacritic and a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviews have pointed out the film’s failure to address the sexual assault allegations against Michael Jackson that emerged both during and after his life.

In contrast, audiences appear to be connecting with Michael much more positively, as evidenced by significantly higher user ratings on both Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes. Given its strong opening and favorable audience response, Michael is likely to enjoy a lengthy run in theaters.