Biographical film by Antoine Fuqua
Michael is a 2026 American biographical film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. It follows the life of the American singer Michael Jackson, covering the period from his involvement in the Jackson 5 in the 60s to his early solo career. Jackson is portrayed as an adult by his nephew Jaafar Jackson and as a child by Juliano Krue Valdi, both in their film acting debuts. The supporting cast includes Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo.
Development began in November 2019, when it was reported that producer Graham King had secured the rights to produce a film about Jackson, with Logan attached to write. Lionsgate Films announced the film in February 2022. Fuqua was announced as the director in January 2023, and casting began that month when Jaafar was cast; further casting took place from January to April 2024. Filming began in January 2024, after delays caused by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and ended that May. Additional photography took place in June 2025. Studios including Industrial Light & Magic provided the visual effects.
Michael premiered in Berlin on April 10, 2026, and is scheduled for release on April 24 in the United States, by Lionsgate domestically and by Universal Pictures in other territories. It received generally negative reviews, with critics calling the film's storytelling "sanitized". However, Jaafar Jackson's performance as Michael was universally praised.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.