Michael Jackson remains one of the most popular, influential, and controversial figures in the history of music. It was only a matter of time before his monumental life story received the big-screen biopic treatment, and Lionsgate assembled an all-star team to make it happen. The film, simply titled Michael, is directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), written by Oscar nominee John Logan (Gladiator), and produced by Graham King, who guided Bohemian Rhapsody to massive success. In addition, the biopic stars Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the title role, giving the project more authenticity. However, despite wrapping principal photography in May 2024, the film’s journey to theaters has been complicated, with its release date being pushed multiple times. Now, as Deadline reports, Michael has been moved on the calendar once again, with a new global release planned for 2026. The movie was initially slated for April 2025, before being pushed to October, and is now moved to next year.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Michael promises to be a comprehensive look at the King of Pop’s life, from his early days as a child star in The Jackson 5 to his final weeks before his death in 2009. The official synopsis from Lionsgate states the film will bring audiences “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop.” The narrative aims to explore all aspects of his life, including his most iconic performances that placed him on the path to global superstardom. The film’s producer, Graham King, has stressed that the movie will be an “in-depth” portrayal that will deal with Jackson’s life and legacy, including the many legal battles involving the star.
To bring this epic story to the screen, the studio has put together an impressive ensemble cast for Michael. Joining Jaafar Jackson, who will portray his uncle, is Oscar nominee Colman Domingo as the formidable family patriarch, Joe Jackson, and Nia Long as the matriarch, Katherine Jackson. The cast also includes Miles Teller as Jackson’s powerful attorney John Branca, Larenz Tate as Motown founder Berry Gordy, and Kat Graham as the iconic Diana Ross. Director Fuqua is expected to bring his signature kinetic style to the story, with early reports suggesting the film contains elaborate recreations of Jackson’s most famous performances.
Is the Michael Jackson Biopic in Trouble?
The multiple delays of Michael have led to significant speculation about the film’s status, but the reasons for its delay appear to be a combination of ambitious scale and serious legal hurdles. The initial cut delivered by Fuqua was reportedly over three and a half hours long, which immediately led to discussions at Lionsgate about the feasibility of a single theatrical release. This epic length has fueled persistent rumors that Michael could be split into two separate films, though currently only one release date has been announced. The scale of the production is massive, with a budget of $155 million and extensive reshoots that took place in mid-2025 to expand the story. This suggests the delays are partly due to the challenge of condensing Jackson’s sprawling life into a cohesive narrative that Lionsgate feels confident can return its hefty investment.
The more serious issue, however, involves the supposed depiction of the 1993 child molestation allegations made by Jordan Chandler. According to multiple reports, the initial script and third act of the film heavily featured the Chandler case. However, it was only after the script was approved, shot, and edited that Lionsgate discovered a legal agreement from the 1994 settlement with the Chandler family that explicitly prohibits the Jackson estate from ever dramatizing them or their story in a film. This major oversight reportedly rendered the original third act legally unusable and forced the filmmakers to go back for significant rewrites and reshoots to remove the prohibited material, causing a cascade of delays.
Michael is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 24, 2026.
Will you be watching the Michael Jackson biopic in theaters? Do you think it can do justice to the complicated history of the pop star? Join the discussion in the comments!
