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Michael Nears $800 Million as Japan Release Could Decide Biopic Record

A strong global run could push the Jaafar Jackson film past Bohemian Rhapsody if Japan boosts its box office haul.

Overview

  • The film has earned about $788 million worldwide after another $28.5 million international weekend, with roughly $468 million from overseas and $319 million from North America.
  • Producers altered the movie late in post‑production after estate lawyers found a 1994 settlement that bars depicting Jordan Chandler, funding reshoots and ending the film before later abuse allegations.
  • Lionsgate says roughly 25–30% of a second film may already exist from earlier shoots and the studio is actively developing a sequel.
  • New civil suits, including claims from members of the Cascio family, continue to press legal and ethical questions about the film’s omission of later allegations.
  • The movie's strong box office and a surge in Jackson streaming have given Lionsgate an unusually large hit—the film also pushed Lionsgate past $300 million domestically for the first time in years—and Japan’s opening is now the key factor in whether it tops the $911 million musical‑biopic record.