Critics’ harsh backlash can’t stop it—‘Michael’ clears $1 billion, topping Oppenheimer

The return of the ‘King of Pop,’ and a $1 billion miracle that overwhelmed screens worldwide

The enduring ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’ shone a light on the twists and turns of his life, establishing a new milestone for the global film industry by reaching the $1 billion mark in worldwide box-office revenue (about 149.70 billion won).

On the 13th (local time), according to major foreign outlets including the U.S. entertainment publication Variety, ‘Michael’ pulled in $371.8 million from the North American box office and $629.8 million from overseas markets, pushing its cumulative earnings past $1.001 billion. Analysts say the result goes beyond a mere hit, becoming a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

This latest performance stands as the top-grossing record of all ‘biographical films’ that have portrayed real-life figures to date. It even dwarfed ‘Oppenheimer’ by director Christopher Nolan, the previous No. 1 with $975 million, as well as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ ($911 million), which ignited a global rock-band craze. It also brought down the stronghold of ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ ($865 million), a flagship hit for production company Lionsgate, setting a new record for the highest revenue since the company’s founding.

Director Antoine Fuqua, who held the megaphone, expressed deep thanks to global audiences who answered the film across generations and borders. He called it an unforgettable moment proving the powerful force of the medium of film to bind humanity together.

Public choice that quelled the controversy—an audience frenzy that spilled from the screen to music charts

The film ‘Michael’’s unrelenting run at the box office matters because it represents a direct answer to the torrent of controversies that erupted before and after its release. In particular, there was intense debate over how the film handled ‘child sexual abuse allegations’ from Michael Jackson’s later years. It also went through a major process of re-editing tied to disputes over agreements among relevant parties, causing the total production budget to jump as high as $155 million.

Early on, critics’ attention was cold. On the global review website ‘Rotten Tomatoes’, the critics’ freshness score recorded a humiliating 38 out of 100. But the public’s verdict came out completely different. Fans around the world filled theaters with deep nostalgia for ‘the King of Pop’, pushing the audience popcorn score to as high as 97. That surge soon translated into domination of the global box office, accompanied by explosive word of mouth.

The craze that hit screens hard spread straight through to global music charts. Michael Jackson’s immortal classics are once again taking control of the U.S. ‘Billboard charts’, re-igniting the massive ‘Michael Jackson syndrome’. Shortly after its release, ‘Thriller’, widely regarded as a century-defining masterpiece album, and the best-of set ‘Number Ones’ made a dramatic return to re-enter the Top 10 of the main album chart ‘Billboard 200’. Even now, multiple singles and albums continue to hold firm in the upper ranks of the charts, underscoring his enduring artistic stature.