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The long-awaited and officially authorized Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” has stormed the global box office with a staggering $217.4 million opening weekend, defying poor reviews, production chaos, and controversy surrounding its creative choices. The film’s debut now stands as the biggest opening ever for a music biopic, instantly reshaping expectations for the genre.

BOX OFFICE SHOCKWAVE

In North America, “Michael” pulled in $97 million across the United States and Canada, far exceeding early projections that had capped expectations at $70 million. The performance not only shocked industry analysts but also blew past previous genre leaders, including “Straight Outta Compton” at $60.1 million and “Bohemian Rhapsody” at $51 million.

International audiences pushed the film even further. Overseas markets delivered $120.4 million, bringing the worldwide total to $217.4 million in just its opening frame.

“From the beginning, all of the signals were that something like this was possible,” Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson told The Associated Press. “We were seeing massive engagement with every conceivable audience segment that you could identify.”

The film has now opened in most global markets, with Japan remaining the only major holdout. Its release there is scheduled for June.

A HIGH-STAKES BOX OFFICE BET

With a production budget nearing $200 million, “Michael” ranks among the most expensive music biopics ever made. The explosive debut now puts it on a potential path to challenge “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which ultimately reached $910 million worldwide, as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time.

Industry watchers say the film’s opening momentum could carry it deep into profitability, despite the controversy shadowing its release.

CRITICS AND FAMILY DIVIDE

While audiences have turned out in force, critical response has been overwhelmingly negative, with strong opposition even from within Michael Jackson’s own family.

His sister Janet Jackson and his daughter Paris Jackson have both publicly criticized the project. Paris referred to the film as “fantasy land.”

In a particularly harsh review, the film was described as:

“drama-free, formulaic and estate-controlled excuse to sell more albums” and “sanitized to the point of being translucent”.

The review continued with a broader critique of the film’s approach to Jackson’s life story:

“Whatever you may think of the man behind the icon and even if you’re generous enough to give this project the benefit of the doubt by foolishly believing that the darker aspects of Jackson’s life could be explored in a planned second chapter (teased at the end with the card “His story continues”), Michael still only functions as an insultingly blatant hagiography. It removes everything from his early life story that could be deemed contentious, including allegations of violent abuse by his father Joe (Colman Domingo), his early encounters with sex, or his growing body dysmorphia linked to the toll celebrity and trauma took on him.”

BEHIND THE SCENES TURBULENCE

The production of “Michael” was far from smooth. After filming wrapped, producers encountered a major legal and narrative obstacle tied to the film’s third act, which originally focused on the allegations made by Jordan Chandler, who was 13 at the time and received a $23 million settlement in 1994.

The settlement’s terms prevented the Jackson estate from referencing Chandler in any film, forcing a dramatic overhaul.

As a result, a significant portion of the movie was cut and reshot at a reported cost of up to $50 million, funded by the estate. Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan restructured the narrative, ultimately ending the film in 1988, before any allegations emerged.

CONTROVERSY AND PUBLIC RESPONSE

The release has also reignited debate surrounding allegations made against Jackson, with survivor James Safechuck, an accuser featured in Dan Reed’s 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” releasing a public statement aimed at supporting survivors of child sexual abuse.

Safechuck said in a video shared with Rolling Stone:

“The Michael movie is coming out and it’s getting a lot of promotion and there’s billboards and commercials and people praising Michael,” he said in a video shared with Rolling Stone. “It can be triggering for survivors who have their own Michael in their lives, whether it’s the priest who’s close to God or the sports coach who’s just helping the kids or the step-parent who’s supporting the family,” he added. “Our abusers are praised sometimes, even after we come out and tell the truth.”

He continued:

“I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and that there are other survivors out there that understand what you’re going through and that are there with you. And that if you’re feeling all the feels, then lean into people that are close to you, lean into people that support you and that give you love, and know that you’re not alone,” he continued.

And added:

“Telling the truth and telling what happened is a good thing, and that it’s a part of your healing.”

Director Dan Reed also questioned the decision to exclude allegations from the biopic entirely.

“It says that people don’t care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don’t care,” he said. “I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And short of having actual video evidence of Michael Jackson engaged in sexual intercourse with a seven-year-old child, I don’t know what would be sufficient to change these people’s minds.”

He added:

“How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?”