Michael box office: MJ biopic nears $220 million globally and Rs 20 crore in India

Antoine Fuqua's Michael has earned $218.83 million worldwide in four days and is nearing the Rs 20 crore mark in India. The strong start comes despite mixed reviews, criticism over omitted allegations and a steady fall in daily collections.

In Short

• The film ranks sixth among 2026's highest-grossing releases worldwide currently
• North American earnings fell each day after a $39.29 million opening
• Made on $155 million, the biopic stars nephew Jaafar Jackson

Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is holding steady at the box office despite mixed-to-negative reviews and ongoing criticism around its portrayal of Michael Jackson’s life. The biographical drama has collected $218.83 million worldwide within its first four days and is now inching towards the $220 million mark.

MICHAEL TRAILS 6TH WORLDWIDE

Globally, Michael has earned approximately Rs 2,065.44 crore, placing it among the highest-grossing films of 2026 so far. According to Box Office Mojo, the film currently ranks sixth worldwide this year.

It trails behind titles like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($831 million), Pegasus 3 ($648 million), Project Hail Mary ($613 million), Hoppers ($370 million) and Wuthering Heights ($241 million). The film is expected to surpass the latter in the coming days.

In North America, the film opened strongly with $39.29 million on Friday, April 24. Collections dipped over the weekend, with earnings of $32.46 million and $25.45 million on the following two days. Despite the decline, the film’s domestic total has reached $97.20 million (approximately Rs 917.49 crore).

Made on a reported budget of $155 million, the film stars Jaafar Jackson, nephew of Michael Jackson, in the lead role. The ensemble cast also includes Nia Long, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, Mike Myers, Miles Teller and Colman Domingo.

INDIAN BOX OFFICE CLOSE TO RS 20 CRORE

In India, Michael is nearing the Rs 20 crore mark. The film earned Rs 2.25 crore on Monday, according to Sacnilk, taking its total to Rs 18.75 crore.

This reflects a 61.54 per cent drop from Sunday’s Rs 5.85 crore. The film recorded an overall occupancy of 19.19 per cent on Monday, with 11.11 per cent in the morning, 20.11 per cent in the afternoon, 22.11 per cent in the evening and 23.44 per cent at night.

Despite the weekday dip, the film continues to maintain a steady run globally while inching closer to key milestones both in India and overseas.

- Ends