After a lengthy hold-up, it seems that 2026 will finally be the year that Antoine Fuqua unveils his long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic. Titled Michael, the film will follow the King of Pop’s rise to fame from his days as the leading member of his family band, The Jackson 5, to striking out on his own and becoming a global sensation. As 2026 begins, the folks behind the Lionsgate flick have unveiled a brand-new teaser that showcases some of the iconic performances from Jackson’s celebrated career in cinematic form. Starring none other than the singer’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the leading role, the movie promises to get theaters on their feet upon its arrival on April 24.
It all starts with a beat in the fresh look at Michael, where viewers are taken from the recording studio to the stage and even the dinner table inside the Jackson family home. Each point in time is tethered by Michael’s (Jaafar Jackson) experience as we see him donning iconic costumes of yesteryear, moonwalking across the stages of sold-out arenas, putting together a list of tracks, and putting in grueling hours on the sets of music videos for hits like “Thriller.” Aside from the sounds of snapping and shoes gliding across the floor, the teaser is lacking those power-driving songs, but don’t worry, you’ll catch a few recognizable giggles from the man behind the music.
Assembling an all-star cast to bring the late musician’s world to the big screen, the ensemble behind Michael includes Colman Domingo (The Running Man), Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Nia Long (Friday), Joseph David-Jones (Detroit), Laura Harrier (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Jessica Sula (Split), Rhyan Hill (The Michael Blackson Show), Larenz Tate (A Man Apart), Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) and more.
The Growing Hype Surrounding ‘Michael’
After his surprising passing back in 2009, it was only a matter of time until someone dug into the unbelievable and at times tragic story surrounding Jackson and turned it into a cinematic experience. The perfect director would eventually come along by way of Fuqua, who has stood at the helm of plenty of other award-winning classics like Training Day and The Magnificent Seven. Initially, Michael was scheduled for a release in Spring 2025, then moved to October 2025, and ultimately settled on April 2026. But if you thought the date shuffle would deter fans from seeing the biopic, you’d be dead wrong, as the hype for the film only continues to grow. Already breaking records, the initial trailer garnered a staggering 116.2 million views in its first 24 hours, making it the most-viewed trailer for any music-centered biopic or concert film in history.
Check out the latest teaser for Michael above.
Release Date
April 24, 2026
Writers
John Logan
Producers
David B. Householter, Graham King, John Branca
