Will be resolved to Michael worldwide box office after the first three months of film’s release. Market’s closure date might be postponed accordingly to a possible release delay.

Resolution Criteria

The film is scheduled for release on April 24, 2026. Market resolves to the worldwide box office total after the first three months of the film's theatrical release (through approximately July 26, 2026). Resolution will be determined by verified box office data from sources such as Box Office Mojo (https://www.boxofficemojo.com/) or The Numbers (https://www.the-numbers.com/). If the film's release is delayed beyond April 24, 2026, the market closure date will be postponed accordingly.

Background

Michael is an upcoming American biographical musical drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, following the life of the American singer Michael Jackson, who is portrayed by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his film debut. Michael is reportedly made on a budget of a whopping $155 million, which makes it the most expensive biographical film. The first official trailer for 'Michael' has shattered global viewing records, amassing more than 230 million views within 24 hours of its release, and now stands as the most-viewed music biopic trailer debut in history, surpassing previous record-holders Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis.

Considerations

Universal/Lionsgate expect the film will be getting a huge marketing campaign with unprecedented promotion and investments as they expect a box office that exceeds the $2B mark worldwide. However, Bohemian Rhapsody earned more than US$900 million worldwide, while Elvis revitalised interest in musician-led prestige dramas, providing context for comparable music biopics. There were reports that the initial cut of the movie made references to Jordan Chandler, who accused Jackson of molestation and who the pop singer settled with for $20M in 1994 with no admission of guilt, though after production wrapped, it was revealed there was an agreement for him not to be included.