Michael

Michael is a forthcoming American biographical musical drama about Michael Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. Produced by Graham King, John Branca and John McClain, the film is being made with the cooperation of the Michael Jackson estate and is distributed by Lionsgate in the United States. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew and the son of Jermaine Jackson, plays his uncle in his feature-film acting debut. The casting gives the project a direct family connection while placing the performance at the center of a story designed to cover Jackson’s life and career. The film’s announced scope runs from Jackson’s childhood in Gary, Indiana, through his emergence with the Jackson 5 and his transformation into one of pop music’s most commercially successful solo artists. Jackson began performing with his brothers as a child; the Jackson 5 signed with Motown in the late 1960s and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with four consecutive singles: “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There.” His later solo releases included Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory. Thriller, released in 1982, remains recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling album worldwide. Colman Domingo portrays Joe Jackson, the Jackson family patriarch and manager. Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother. The supporting cast includes Miles Teller as entertainment lawyer John Branca, who has long represented Jackson and is a co-executor of the singer’s estate; Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, a Motown executive associated with the Jackson 5’s early career; and Kat Graham as Diana Ross. Juliano Krue Valdi plays Michael as a child, reflecting the film’s intention to depict both the young Jackson and the adult superstar. Production began in January 2024, with filming taking place in California. The project has also drawn attention because it is authorized by the estate, an arrangement that gives the filmmakers access to Jackson’s music and life story but has prompted scrutiny of how it will handle difficult parts of his public history. Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse during his lifetime; he settled a 1993 civil case without admitting wrongdoing, was acquitted of criminal charges in 2005, and continued to face allegations after his death. The filmmakers have said the film will present his “triumphs and tragedies,” rather than limiting itself to his records, concerts and videos. The release date has changed during development. Lionsgate previously scheduled Michael for April 18, 2025, before moving it to October 3, 2025. Its final release timing and the completed form of the film therefore remain subject to the studio’s plans. What is established is its focus: a dramatized portrait of an artist whose work spans Motown childhood fame, solo albums, landmark music videos, global touring and a legacy that remains intensely debated.