Lionsgate Movies has released the final trailer of Michael, the upcoming biopic on the life of the late Pop singer, Michael Jackson. Scheduled to hit the theaters on April 24, 2026, the movie features Jaafar Jackson, the late singer’s nephew, in the lead role.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film follows the life of the late singer from his child-star beginnings with the Jackson 5 to his final weeks in 2009. The supporting cast features Colman Domingo and Nia Long as his parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. It also includes Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, and Larenz Tate, among others.
Lionsgate releases Michael final trailer ahead of the film’s release
The biopic’s final trailer shows Jaafar recreating legendary sequences for Beat It, Thriller, Billie Jean, and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, spanning the King of Pop’s meteoric rise from the Off the Wall era to global superstardom. Jaafar reportedly studied his late uncle’s performances, voice, and movements in detail, while also drawing from his own memories and family stories.
Beyond the music, the film’s plot also digs into the 2000s, offering a rare look at Michael’s later personal life and professional challenges before his passing at age 50. Early 2024 photos from the set showed how closely Jaafar resembles his uncle. At the same time, director Fuqua stated:
“We have assembled an incredible team of artists for this project — hair and makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything — and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film. But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way.”
Making his screen debut under director Antoine Fuqua, Jaafar Jackson revealed that he hid his lead role from his family for an entire year. Reflecting on his first viewing of the movie, he laughed while explaining how he initially struggled to watch himself without being overly critical. He said:
“Going into it I tried my best to say, ‘I’m going to just try to watch without critiquing anything.’ ”
The film’s supporting cast includes several actors portraying key figures from Jackson’s life and career. Colman Domingo as Joe, Nia Long as Katherine, Miles Teller as John Branca, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, and Kat Graham as Diana Ross.
The supporting cast also includes Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, while Derek Luke appears as Johnnie Cochran. Juliano Krue Valdi portrays young Michael Jackson.
The production faced several challenges and controversies, particularly surrounding how to portray sensitive aspects of the late singer’s life. Legal issues forced the filmmakers to scrap and reshoot the entire third act after discovering restrictions on depicting a 1993 accuser, leading to costly delays and rewrites.
This contributed to the budget ballooning to an estimated $200 million. Additionally, Paris Jackson publicly criticized the script as “sugar-coated,” expressing concerns over the narrative’s authenticity. There was also internal debate regarding the film’s lengthy runtime, leading to discussions about potentially splitting the project into two parts.
After multiple delays and reshoots, the film is now scheduled to release on April 24, 2026.
Edited by Suchita Patnaha
