Landing your first acting role is one thing. Crossing $1 billion at the global box office with it is another entirely.
Jaafar Jackson has officially made cinema history after Michael crossed the coveted $1 billion mark worldwide.
Making him the first lead actor ever to see their feature film debut reach the milestone.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the long-awaited biopic follows the life of Michael Jackson. Charting his rise from performing with the Jackson 5 to becoming one of the biggest entertainers the world has ever known.
Casting the late superstar’s real-life nephew in the lead was always going to attract attention, but few could have predicted a debut of this scale.
According to the film’s distributors, Michael has now earned $1,001,690,578 globally. Including $629.8 million from international markets and $371.8 million in North America.
The film’s success hasn’t just launched Jaafar Jackson into the history books—it has rewritten several of them.
Michael has officially become the highest-grossing biopic ever released, overtaking Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. It has also claimed the title of the biggest musical biopic of all time, surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody.
For Lionsgate, the achievement marks a milestone of its own. Despite decades of major franchises including The Hunger Games and Twilight, Michael is the first film in the studio’s history to break through the $1 billion barrier.
The film also stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson and was developed with the support of the Jackson family. Its final moments reportedly tease the next chapter of Michael Jackson’s career, with a sequel already confirmed to be in development.
For Jaafar Jackson, however, the biggest headline may be impossible to top. Most actors dream of a memorable debut. He has one that’s already found its place in the record books.
