Juliano Valdi Leads Michael Jackson Biopic With $200 Million — Who Plays Michael Jackson In The New Movie
Juliano Valdi is who plays michael jackson in the new movie, taking on 10-year-old Michael in Michael. The film opened with the biggest opening weekend for a biopic ever and has since passed more than $200 million at the box office. That is a rare kind of launch for a biopic, especially one already splitting audience and critic reaction.
Regal Union Square turnout
On Wednesday evening, fans filled New York City’s Regal Union Square movie theater for screenings of Michael. Joanne said, “I had to come see it again, because I thought it was amazing,” and added, “I think it’s put together nicely as a starter for fans to get into him.”
Her reaction lands against the film’s numbers: a 97% audience score alongside a 38% critics’ score. In commercial terms, that gap suggests the movie is connecting more strongly with viewers than with reviewers, even as its box office keeps climbing.
Juliano Valdi and Berry Gordy
Valdi’s role goes beyond a simple child casting credit. As 10-year-old Michael, he records lyrics for the first time for Motown legend Berry Gordy, giving the film a specific early-career beat instead of treating childhood as background filler.
Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, and Janet Jackson is left out as a character. Belize said, “I was on the fence about it, and what really made me skeptical was when I heard Janet isn’t featured in it because I know they were very close.” That omission is now part of the movie’s public case, not just its creative choices.
Michael at $200 million
More than $200 million at the box office gives Michael a commercial cushion most biopics never reach. The long-delayed movie now has a clear audience base, even with sharply divided reception and a cast list that leaves out one major family name.
For viewers deciding whether to go, the takeaway is straightforward: Michael is selling tickets, and Valdi is the face of its earliest chapter. The film’s strength is not in consensus, but in turnout, and that has already pushed it into a different tier for the genre.
