Update April 26, 2026
All eyes were on Michael heading into the weekend box office — and it delivered in a big way.
Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic debuted to a massive $97 million domestically and $217 million worldwide, smashing expectations and setting a new opening record for the genre. It surged past projections despite being panned by critics, fueled by strong word of mouth and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 5,000 verified ticket buyers.
Universal Pictures’ The Super Mario Galaxy Movie dropped to second with $21.2 million, down 44% in its fourth weekend. The animated sequel has now grossed $386 million domestically and more than $830 million worldwide.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary held strong in third with $13.2 million, falling 41% in its sixth weekend. The sci-fi hit has now crossed the $300 million mark domestically and sits at roughly $613 million globally.
Warner Bros.’ Lee Cronin’s The Mummy landed in fourth with $5.6 million, dropping 59% in its second frame for a domestic total just over $23 million.
A24’s The Drama rounded out the top five with $2.6 million, down 47% in its fourth weekend. The film has now earned $44.8 million domestically and surpassed the $100 million mark worldwide.
Original story published April 23, 2026
It’s shaping up to be a thriller at the box office this weekend, with Michael leading the charge.
Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, is poised to debut at No. 1 with a projected $75 million to $95 million opening weekend. Globally, the film could land in the $140 million to $160 million range, with some estimates pushing even higher. If those numbers hold, it would mark the biggest debut ever for a music biopic, easily topping Straight Outta Compton ($60.2 million) and Bohemian Rhapsody ($51 million) — and signaling that audience demand is outweighing critical opinion.
That critical response has been mixed at best. Many reviews have taken issue with the film’s surface-level approach and its decision to sidestep the more controversial aspects of Jackson’s life, though early audience reactions — particularly from fans — appear far more enthusiastic.
With no other major new releases entering the marketplace, Michael is expected to easily top the charts — effectively telling last weekend’s champion, Universal Pictures’ The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to beat it after three weeks at No. 1. The animated sequel is eyeing a $20 million to $25 million fourth frame as it continues its strong global run.
Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary should follow in third, where the sci-fi hit continues to show impressive staying power even as it loses premium screens to the weekend’s top newcomer. It’s projected to bring in another $10 million to $15 million as it closes in on the $300 million domestic milestone.
Further down the chart, Warner Bros.’ Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is expected to take a typical second-weekend drop after last week’s debut, cashing in another $6-7 million, while A24’s The Drama should round out the top five with around $3 million.
Outside the top tier, a handful of less buzzworthy releases are entering the marketplace, including IFC Films’ Over Your Dead Body, Roadside Attractions’ Fuze, Vertical’s Desert Warrior, and Greenwich Entertainment’s Omaha, none of which is expected to crack the top five but could still find an audience in limited release. Meanwhile, A24’s Mother Mary is expanding nationwide and could make a run at the top five with close to $3 million.
All eyes are now on whether Michael can turn its massive debut into sustained momentum — and prove this is more than just a one-weekend thriller.
New releases
Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Distributor: Lionsgate
The story of the famous musician Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop. The music biopic has a running time of two hours, seven minutes, and is rated PG-13. Michael is certified “rotten” with a 36 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; “mixed” reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 46 percent.
Over Your Dead Body
Director: Jorma Taccone
Distributor: IFC Films
A dysfunctional married couple retreats to a secluded cabin to repair their relationship, but each secretly plots to murder the other. The comedy-thriller has a running time of one hour, 45 minutes, and is rated R. Over Your Dead Body is certified “fresh” with a 68 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; “mixed” reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 56 percent.
Fuze
Director: David Mackenzie
Distributor: Roadside Attractions/Saban Films
An unexploded WWII bomb is discovered on a busy construction site in the centre of London. Chaos ensues as the military and police begin a mass evacuation against a ticking clock. The war drama has a running time of one hour, 38 minutes, and is rated R. Fuze is certified “fresh” with a 84 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; “mixed” reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 58 percent.
Desert Warrior
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
An honorable and mysterious rogue, known as Hanzala, makes himself an enemy of the Emperor Kisra after he helps a fugitive king and princess in the desert. The action-adventure has a running time of one hour, 54 minutes, and is rated R. Desert Warrior is certified “rotten” with a 36 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; “mixed” reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 42 percent.
Omaha
Director: Cole Webley
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
A father conceals the truth about his family’s seemingly spontaneous cross-country road trip. The drama has a running time of one hour, 23 minutes, and is rated PG-13. Omaha is certified “fresh” with a 90 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; “generally favorable” reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 76 percent.
Here are Gold Derby’s predicted box-office rankings for the top five over the April 24 — 26 weekend:
1. Michael — $82 million
2. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie — $21 million
3. Project Hail Mary — $15 million
4. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy — $6.5 million
5. The Drama — $3 million
2026 box-office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million
