What We Know About the Michael Jackson Biopic
The biopic “Michael,” based on the life of Michael Jackson, will now be released worldwide on April 24, 2026, after being rescheduled from October 2025.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the film stars Jaafar Jackson as his late uncle. The movie explores Jackson’s journey to becoming the King of Pop and features a star-studded cast including Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Miles Teller. Lionsgate will handle domestic distribution, while Universal will distribute internationally, except in Japan, where Kino Films will handle it. The film delves into Jackson’s life and legacy, showcasing his rise to fame and the impact he had on the music industry.
The delay with Michael has been twofold, one being its length — there was a first cut in excess of 3½ hours. There also have been reports that the initial cut of the movie made references to 13-year old Jordan Chandler, who accused Jackson of molestation and who the pop singer settled with for $20M in 1994 with no admission of guilt. While the screenplay by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan was developed, approved by the estate and shot to include Chandler, after production wrapped, it was revealed there was an agreement for him not to be included. Hence the production had to go back and re-approach the material. Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the King of Pop.
This is the third time that Michael has moved. The pic’s first release date was April 18, 2025, then October 3.
