Director Antoine Fuqua
Writer John Logan
Runtime 2h 9m
Rating PG-13
Distributor Lionsgate / Universal
What the film covers
Michael traces the King of Pop’s journey from the streets of Gary, Indiana — where a young boy with impossible talent stepped in front of a microphone for the first time — all the way through to the height of his global dominance with the Bad World Tour in 1988. The film covers his early days with the Jackson 5, the recording of Off the Wall with Quincy Jones, the making of Thriller, his battle with his domineering father Joe Jackson, and his relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer the world had ever seen. Notably, it ends before the 1993 abuse allegations — the film’s most discussed omission.
Development Timeline
Seven years in the making
2019 – Producer Graham King secures rights from the Jackson estate. Screenwriter John Logan is attached.
2022 – Lionsgate officially announces the project. Antoine Fuqua signs on as director in January 2023; Jaafar Jackson is cast as his uncle Michael.
2023 – Filming is delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Production eventually begins January 22, 2024, in Santa Barbara; wraps May 30, 2024.
2025 – The estate discovers a clause in the Jordan Chandler settlement barring any film from depicting him. The entire third act is scrapped. 22 days of expensive reshoots follow.
Release pushed from April 2025 → October 2025 → April 2026.
2026 – Trailer breaks all records — 116 million views in 24 hours. Film releases April 24, 2026 in theatres and IMAX worldwide.
Cast
Who plays who
Lead
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson (adult)
Young Michael Juliano Krue Valdi as Michael Jackson (child)
Supporting
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson
Nia Long as Katherine Jackson
Miles Teller as John Branca
Kendrick Sampson as Quincy Jones
Kat Graham as Diana Ross
Cameo
Mike Myers as CBS president, Yetnikoff
Box Office
Primed to break records
Production budget $200M incl. reshoot costs
Domestic opening (proj.) $65–80M record for music biopics
Global opening (proj.) $150M+ 82 international markets
Lionsgate internal target $700M+ worldwide total
For context, the closest comparable is Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), which opened to $51M and went on to earn $910M worldwide — becoming the highest-grossing music biopic of all time. That film was also produced by Graham King, who produced Michael.
Critical Reception
Fans love it. Critics, not so much.
Critics (Rotten Tomatoes)36%
Audience (estimated)~72%
The Big Controversy
Why this film is more complicated than it looks
Estate-approved
The film was planned to open in 1993 — right in the middle of the abuse allegations — but a little-known clause in the $25M settlement with Jordan Chandler legally barred any film from depicting or mentioning him. The estate reportedly didn’t realise this until after principal photography was complete.
The result: a $10–15M reshoot (funded by the estate), a completely new third act, and a film that now ends with Michael triumphantly on stage during the Bad tour — years before the controversy began. Paris Jackson, Michael’s daughter, had no involvement and earlier called the script “sugar-coated.” Janet Jackson is not depicted in the film at all.
In February 2026 — just weeks before release — four members of a family formerly close to Jackson filed a new lawsuit accusing him of being a serial predator. The estate denied all allegations. The film makes no reference to any of it.
The Star
Jaafar Jackson — the one thing everyone agrees on
Even critics who dismissed the film as shallow uniformly praised one thing: Jaafar Jackson. Born July 25, 1996, he is MJ’s nephew and Jermaine Jackson’s son. This is his acting debut, and he auditioned for the role — it was not handed to him. At the Hollywood premiere, Jaafar told the crowd: “Most importantly, I just hope that my uncle, Michael, is smiling from up above.” His co-star playing young Michael, 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi, also stunned audiences with his dancing on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
What’s next
A sequel is already being discussed
If Michael hits Lionsgate’s $700M worldwide target, a sequel is almost certain. Producer Graham King has already held discussions about a Part II covering MJ’s later albums (Dangerous, Invincible), Neverland Ranch, and his love of animals. Roughly 30% of the jettisoned material from the original cut could be used in a future film. Whether that sequel would tackle the abuse allegations — or sidestep them again — remains the defining question hanging over the entire franchise.
