Jaafar Jackson’s Debut ‘Michael’ Biopic Joins the $1 Billion Club
Jaafar Jackson has become the first lead actor whose very first feature film has crossed $1 billion in global ticket sales. The Antoine Fuqua-directed biopic “Michael” charts the rise of Jackson’s late uncle, from his early Jackson 5 days through his late-’80s solo superstardom. Official figures show “Michael” grossed $371.8 million in North America and $629.8 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $1,001,690,578. It’s only the second film of 2026 to hit this milestone, following The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. By surpassing Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” ($975.8 million) and Bohemian Rhapsody ($911 million), “Michael” now holds the records for highest-grossing biopic and musical biopic of all time. It also marks Lionsgate’s first ever entry into the billion-dollar bracket. The movie features supporting turns from Colman Domingo and Nia Long, was developed with Jackson family support, and is already confirmed to have a sequel in the works.
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