A still of Jaafar Jackson from "Michael" (2026)
Decked Out Originals (MJ Archive), THE SCREEN

The King of IMAX: Massive Fan Demand Forces ‘Michael’ Back onto the Biggest Screens

In a rare move for a biopic currently in its third week of release, the Michael Jackson biopic is officially reclaiming its IMAX throne. Indeed, Michael is back by popular demand. The record-breaking film was sidelined last week to make room for newer releases, industry data and theater listings confirm that Michael is returning to IMAX screens across several countries. Michael, however, quickly took the reign back, and now it’s heading back for another go-round.

RELATED: ‘MICHAEL’ Set to Premiere in South Korea: Yeouido Hangang Pop-Up & Exclusive Lotte Cinema Merch

Per IMAX, this “encore” run will see theaters across the U.S., U.K. and other major territories in highest quality available, with the current run date listed as May 15 through May 21.

The Synopsis

Michael tracks the meteoric rise of Michael Jackson from the early days of the Jackson 5 to the peak of the Thriller and Bad eras. With a reported $155 million production budget, the film had high expectations to meet. The film has not only met them but has now officially surpassed $600 million globally. On top of that, Michael has officially opened in South Korea as of May 13 with $832k in South Korea, making it the biggest opening day total for a musical biopic in the country’s history. The film is slated to be released in Japan in June.

The IMAX Encore

  • Extended Run: Through May 21, 2026
  • Key Territories: United States, United Kingdom, and major international markets
  • Format: IMAX 2D Experience
  • Current Global Box Office: ~$577 Million (as of May 11)

RELATED: MICHAEL: The Greatest Musical Biopic of All Time (No Spoilers)

Author Bio

Jael Rucker is the founder of Decked Out Magazine. She has previously worked as the Associate Commerce Editor at PureWow, focusing on analytics and trends to pitch stories and optimize articles that build and engage their audience. Her work has also been seen in Footwear News and WWD. Prior to 2024, she was the style and pop culture editor at ONE37pm for over three years, contributing numerous product reviews, brand profiles and fashion trend reports, which included interviewing Steph Curry, Snoop Dogg and more.

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