15 Years Later, The King of Pop Returns to Theaters in New First Look at New Biopic [Exclusive]

It’s been more than five years since whispers began to grow around the possibility of a Michael Jackson biopic. Many wondered what took Hollywood so long, as The King of Pop passed away in 2009, and since then, fans have been waiting for an on-screen telling of at least a chapter of his life. Finally, the time is almost here with Antoine Fuqua’s Michael dancing into cinemas on April 24. Today, as part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview, we’ve got a little something for Michael fans who are hungry for more content ahead of the film’s release, as we’re thrilled to unveil a brand-new look at the film.

Tracing the early years of his life, Michael will follow Jackson from his childhood performances alongside his siblings in The Jackson 5 to the early years of his world domination as the hottest pop star on the scene. With Colman Domingo and Nia Long appearing in the roles of Joe and Katherine Jackson, respectively, audiences will get an incredibly intimate look into the young star’s home life, while, when we move towards his older years, Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the award-winning singer. In our exclusive image, Jackson’s portrayal of the King of Pop is uncanny as he cuts through a crowd of desperate fans with a smile on his face and his bodyguard at his back.

Meet the Team Behind ‘Michael’

Michael-Watermark

With Jackson’s close relative stepping into the spotlight to show off his skills as a performer and translate the early legacy of his uncle’s career to the big screen, you know Michael is hitting hard with the call sheet. Filling out the rest of the ensemble is a top tier lineup of performers that includes Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Laura Harrier (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Joseph David-Jones (Nashville), Kendrick Sampson (Insecure), Jessica Sula (Split), Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries), Larenz Tate (A Man Apart), Kevin Shinick (The Night Agent) and more.

The project marks Fuqua’s return to feature-length filmmaking following a three-year hiatus that capped off with The Equalizer 3 in 2023. Considering the director has a lengthy background in documentaries as well as scripted work, we can expect both avenues to shine in his take on Michael. Behind the screenplay is John Logan, who has made a massive name for himself in the industry as the scribe behind other hits like Gladiator, The Aviator, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Skyfall.

Check out our exclusive image from Michael above and see the story of a legend play out on the big screen when the film hits cinemas on April 24. Stay tuned to Collider for more to come from our Exclusive Preview event.

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