First Look: “Michael” Biopic Trailer Brings the King of Pop Back to Life
Written by b87fm on 11/06/2025
The wait is over — Lionsgate has dropped the first official trailer for Michael, the long-anticipated biopic chronicling the life of music legend Michael Jackson.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer), the film stars Jaafar Jackson — Michael’s real-life nephew and the son of Jermaine Jackson — in a striking portrayal of the King of Pop. Fuqua, known for working with Hollywood icons like Denzel Washington and Will Smith, called his connection with Jaafar “spiritual,” praising his “natural ability to emulate Michael.”
The trailer immerses viewers in Jackson’s meteoric rise, soundtracked by timeless hits including “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller.” It opens with Kendrick Sampson as producer Quincy Jones, telling a studio-bound Jackson, “I know you’ve been waiting a long time for this… the tracks are made, the songs are ready. Let’s take it from the top.”
The cast features heavyweights Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson, Larenz Tate as Motown founder Berry Gordy, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, Laura Harrier as music exec Suzanne de Passe, and Miles Teller as attorney John Branca.
Originally slated for 2025, Michael will now hit theaters April 24, 2026, following a major reshoot of the film’s third act. The redo was prompted by legal complications tied to the depiction of the Evan Chandler lawsuit — a sensitive chapter involving child abuse allegations that Jackson’s estate reportedly prohibited from being dramatized.
While it remains unclear how the reshot scenes will handle that period of Jackson’s life, the film promises an unflinching look at his artistry, ambition, and influence on global pop culture.
Michael aims to be more than a music biopic — it’s a resurrection of one of the most complex and electrifying figures in entertainment history.
