SUNDAY AM: Some may have danced on the ceiling for Lionel Richie, but when it comes to Michael, whether it’s at Century City AMC or in Brazil, UK, France, Spain, Mexico, etc they’re boogieing down in the theaters. Already, Universal is seeing repeat business for the Lionsgate pic they took foreign on, which has fueled $120.3M offshore for a global debut of $217.4M (that includes $18.7M previews). Michael isn’t just a moviegoing experience, but a communal one.
Easily, Michael is the second best opening YTD after Uni’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie and in like-for-like markets, and at today’s currency rates, the Jaafar Jackson movie stands as the biggest opening weekend ever for a musical biopic, both incl. and excl. previews and both incl. and excl. China.
That international opening of $120.3M in 82 territories and 23,459 locations outstrips the offshore start of Bohemian Rhapsody ($79.9M including previews in like-for-likes), and its way ahead of Wicked: For Good ($75M including previews) and Wicked ($65M including previews). Not only is Michael, the best opening for a musical biopic in several markets, but it’s also the best offshore opening in some countries for a biopic.
Universal, I’m told, took offshore rights for the Antoine Fuqua directed movie for around $70M. The studio will recoup P&A, and there’s plenty in their deal for them to participate in the upside of the pic. It was producer Graham King (not Lionsgate) who decided to sell foreign on Michael. I understand he wanted Universal as a partner given their great success with musical-themed fare.
Now King’s Bohemian Rhapsody from 2018 ended its foreign reported run at $694M, $910.8M WW. It’s a unicorn in that it had a huge 6.6x multiple off its international opening. Does Michael get there? Wait and see. Know that Bohemian Rhapsody had a reported $16.4M from Russia.
“The extraordinary global opening for Michael is a powerful testament to Michael Jackson’s enduring influence across generations and cultures worldwide. We’re incredibly proud of the passion and exceptional execution that our teams brought to this international rollout, and deeply grateful to our partners at Lionsgate, the Michael Jackson estate and most importantly the filmmakers Graham King and Antoine Fuqua whose vision and collaboration have made this all possible. Seeing audiences around the world embrace this film so enthusiastically has been truly thrilling,” said Universal President of Distribution, Veronika Kwan Vandenberg to Deadline.
Breaking it all down, the amaze-amaze with UK & Ireland is that there’s sunny weather and a marathon going on, yet moviegoers still found time to see Michael, with the territory being the pic’s top grossing one with $15.6M at No. 1. Again, biggest ever opening for a musical biopic, and the second-biggest opening of the year. IMAX accounted for 8% of our cume. The single screen at the BFI IMAX took the top spot among all theatres. Michael was 33% above the opening of Bohemian Rhapsody in the UK, which, remember is Queen’s home country.
After achieving the biggest opening day ever for a biopic on Wednesday, France opened to a strong $10.2M in No. 1 across 743 screens. This opening achieves the biggest opening ever for an MPA biopic and the 2nd-biggest opening of the year, only behind Super Mario Galaxy. Imax repped 5% of admissions, ICE for 4% and 4DX for 2%. Audience reception has been excellent, with a strong 4/5 score on Allociné.
Mexico‘s six-day at No. 1 $9.8M was also the biggest opening ever for a musical biopic and the second-biggest opening YTD for an MPA title, both excl. and incl. previews. The movie over-performed in medium- and low-income areas, showing its wide reach. In fact, all across Latin America, Michael is a cross-generational event with kids attending with parents.
Michael‘s No. 1 with a big $8.2M at 1,200 screens (including 12 Imax and 5 4DX) in Brazil is to be expected. The King of Pop has a special place in the country having shot the music video for the 1996 song “They Don’t Care About Us” in a favela of Rio de Janeiro with the reported approval of a gang lord. That opening for Michael in Brazil stands as Universal’s 2nd-biggest post-pandemic opening weekend, only behind Fast X, as well as the biggest opening ever for an MPA biopic, more than tripling the gross of Bohemian Rhapsody and more than doubling Oppenheimer. The opening is also the biggest MPA opening of the year to-date, ahead of Super Mario Galaxy, both incl. and excl. previews.
Michael with $8.1M at 650 sites in Italy repped the widest ever release for a Universal title in the market. Imax repped 2% of the frame. Both incl. and excl. previews, Michael achieved the biggest opening of 2026, the biggest musical biopic opening of all time, and the 2nd biggest non-franchise opening for a Universal title, only behind Oppenheimer. Cinemas turned screenings into events through Michael-themed dance moments, in-theatre activations, reinforcing the communal, celebratory nature of the theatrical experience.
In Germany, Michael‘s No. 1 take of $7.2M repped a 40% market share. The 5-day result achieved the biggest opening weekend ever for a musical biopic, out-singing Bohemian Rhapsody.
In Spain Michael had the biggest opening for a biopic with a No. 1 $6.8M 5-day opening at 560 screens, hitting higher notes than Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody. That translated to a 50% market share. The fans are owning it there: DJs and people are arriving to cinemas dressed in white gloves and red jackets. Audience scores on FilmAffinity (7.1) are aligned with Bohemian Rhapsody (7.2). The weekend also scored the 2nd-biggest MPA opening of the year, only behind Super Mario Galaxy.
Michael minted $6.5M at 312 screens in Australia, Imax accounting for 7% at 10 screens and 4DX at 0.4%. Early Postrak exits are outstanding, with a 91 Index score, and 79% definite recommend. Both with and without previews, the opening weekend is the biggest opening ever for a musical biopic, as well as the 2nd-biggest opening of the year, only behind UPI’s Super Mario Galaxy.
In China, Michael, which is known mostly to the older generation, grossed $5.9M at 30,000 screens (incl. 738 IMAX and 200 4DX) which was good enough to be No. 1 and in-line with the opening weekend of Bohemian Rhapsody. Excellent word of mouth and a stellar Maoyan rating (9.6), the highest for any Hollywood film this year. Bohemian Rhapsody in reported gross ended its run in China at just under $14M.
Peru posted a No. 1 opening for Michael with $2.8M, making it the biggest opening of all time for a musical biopic in the market, as well as the 2nd-biggest opening weekend of 2026, behind Super Mario Galaxy.
Netherlands grossed $2.4M in first place, making it the biggest opening ever for a musical biopic there, as well as the 2nd-biggest MPA opening of 2026, only behind Super Mario Galaxy. PLFs repped closed to a third of the B.O. while Imax pulled in 17% of ticket sales.
The Southeast Asia rang up $5.2M to-date, after achieving the biggest opening day ever for a musical biopic in the region, more than doubling the opening day of Bohemian Rhapsody. The overall weekend achieved the highest grossing opening weekend for a musical biopic in the region, well above Bohemian Rhapsody, both incl. and excl. previews. Screenings in the region feature dancing, light-up wristbands, and backdrops for fans to take photos in front of.
Elsewhere, Uni’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie posted a $57.9M global fourth weekend ($36.6M from 82 territories and $21.2M from domestic) taking its worldwide cume to $831.4M ($445M foreign, $386.5M domestic). Japan opened to No. 1 with $9.8M at 820 screens this weekend, just behind the first film, as well as in line with Frozen 2, above Toy Story 4, well above Moana, and more than double Despicable Me 3 & 4. You’ll remember the first Super Mario Bros Movie made a massive near $102M in Japan, its biggest territory outside the U.S. and the top grossing movie ever in the country for Universal.
Amazon MGM Studios’ highest grossing movie as a conglomerate ever, Project Hail Mary crossed $613.3M worldwide ($308M abroad, $305.3M North America) with $25.4M 6th global weekend ($12.2M abroad, $13.2M North America). The international B.O. weekend holdover is -43%. Top notable territories include Australia ($1.3M, -39%, No. 2, $24.5M cume), China ($1.2M, -44%, No. 4, $38.8M cume), UK ($1.2M, -49%, No. 3, $42.4M cume) and South Korea ($1.1M, -27%, No. 2, $18.8M cume).
Warner Bros/New Line’s Lee Cronin’s The Mummy did an $18M second global weekend ($12.4M offshore, $5.6M U.S./Canada) for a running global take of $65.5M ($42M int’l, $23.5M domestic) for the $22M net feature production. Top territories are Mexico ($4.2M), Indian ($2.7M), UK/Ireland ($2.5M), Spain ($2.3M) and France ($2M).
FRIDAY AM UPDATE: Michael including its $12.6M Stateside previews now counts a running total of $44.3M for the $200M feature production. Thursday via Universal added $13.2M taking the Antoine Fuqua-directed Michael Jackson biopic’s offshore take to $31.7M.
As we told you Thursday, Michael is in play in 82 markets excluding Korea at 23,307 locations and 50,535 screens. China opened Friday and has done $1.5M so far in the top spot.
The pic is still No. 1 in France, with Thursday making $1.4M at 743 screens and running cume of $3.9M, ahead of 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody and 2023’s Oppenheimer at the same point. Daytime and evening shows are stellar.
The UK & Ireland added $1.6M on Thursday for a running cume of $4.1M, still No. 1 with a cume ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody at the same point.
RELATED: The 60 Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Global Box Office
Mexico grossed $1M on their official opening day yesterday to reach a running total of $2.7M which is ahead of Oppenheimer’s opening day and more than 3x Elvis. Yes, the movie is No. 1.
Italy grossed $816K yesterday for a running total of $2.1M, still a No. 1 rank, and an exceptional 69% share of the day’s total. The movie also has the highest per-theatre average of the top titles by a significant margin, reaching more than $1.6k per location.
After achieving the third biggest preview result ever in the market, Brazil enjoyed an excellent opening day, grossing $782k in No. 1 and claiming the biggest opening day for an MPA biopic ever in the market, grossing more than 3x Bohemian Rhapsody’s opening Thursday and more than Oppenheimer. Cume is $2.7M there with the Graham King production owning a dominant 71% market share.
RELATED: ‘Michael’ Stars Explain Why Biopic Doesn’t Include Child Abuse Allegations: “There Could Be A Sequel”
THURDSAY UPDATE: Universal’s international release of Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, opened in most of its 82 markets Wednesday with an $18.5M first day (which includes Tuesday previews). Back out those previews, and Wednesday alone was $16.6M.
China goes Friday, and India, Bolivia and Pakistan open Thursday in what is an overall foreign play in 23,230 locations and 50,529 screens.
Biggest results came from both France and UK Ireland on Wednesday, which respectively minted $2.6M.
RELATED: ‘Michael’: What The Critics Are Saying About The Michael Jackson Biopic
Michael is at 743 screens in France and charted the biggest opening day for a biopic ever, coming in well above the Wednesday openings of both Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody. The pic was the No. 1 rank, capturing a strong 41% of admissions.
UK & Ireland also saw the biggest opening day for a musical biopic of all time, ahead of the Wednesday opening of Bohemian Rhapsody and well above the Friday openings for Elvis and Rocketman. Michael repped 71% of the total market Wednesday, and of course, it was No. 1 for the day.
Italy delivered $1.3M on Wednesday at 480 locations with more than 2.3k showtimes, dominating the market with a 72% share. The Antoine Fuqua-directed pic written by John Logan produced by and Graham King posted the highest per-theater average by a significant margin. And, yes, it’s the biggest opening day ever for a musical biopic, above Bohemian Rhapsody.
RELATED: Kat Graham Confirms Diana Ross Role Cut From Michael Jackson Biopic For “Certain Legal Considerations”
Mexico expanded to wider previews on Wednesday, adding $1.1M to reach a running total of $1.6M. No. 1 pic with a strong 64% market share.
Spain also had Michael at No. 1 with $1.1M on Wednesday across 520 screens and a 62% market share. It was the highest opening day for a biopic ever there, outgrossing both the Wednesday opening of Bohemian Rhapsody and the Thursday opening of Oppenheimer.
In Germany, where Jackson toured the most, the movie made $1M on Wednesday at 849 screens, a No. 1 55% market share. That Day 1 came in ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody’s Thursday opening, representing the biggest opening day for a musical biopic ever in the market.
In Australia, Michael delivered an excellent $1.0M from 290 locations on opening Wednesday. This is the biggest opening day for a musical biopic ever, beating local filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.
In Brazil, Michael posted $651k for a running cume with previews of $2M. The combined preview result represents the biggest ever for a non-superhero, non-franchise film in the market. The Jaafar Jackson-starring movie continues to be No. 1, repping 68% of the marketshare.
RELATED: Paris Jackson Doesn’t Get “How The Motion Picture Industry Works,” MJ Estate Declares Over ‘Michael’ Biopic Costs & Reshoot Questions
Stateside, Imax and premium-format fan screenings were held Wednesday night starting at 6 p.m. That money will be rolled into Thursday’s previews, which began at noon. Some box office sources told us that presales for Michael were exceeding Project Hail Mary‘s; that Ryan Gosling movie scored $12M from both early previews and first Thursday showtimes.
Heading into the weekend, it was forecast that Michael would open to $150M worldwide, $65M-$70M of that coming from domestic, which would represent a record for a musical biopic ahead of 2015’s Straight Outta Compton ($60.2M).