Michael Jackson Biopic Dazzles with Surprise First Look at CinemaCon

Michael Jackson Biopic Dazzles with Surprise First Look at CinemaCon

A surprise look at the Michael Jackson biopic Michael closed out Lionsgate’s panel at CinemaCon Wednesday.

Producer Graham King revealed the project will include more than 30 songs, and teased it would be “long” in order to do the music star’s story justice.

“Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the blinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it,” King said, alluding to the multiple scandals Jackson faced.

The trailer began with a look at the Jackson 5 performing “ABC” on TV, and then cut to a 1990s era concert of Jackson performing “Man in the Mirror.” Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson stars as Michael, and has both a strong resemblance to the real Jackson and appears to have captured his dancing and stage presence.

“You never were like anyone else,” his mother (Nia Long) says in one point in the trailer, which is selling the film as going beyond the controversy to reveal the man.

Antoine Fuqua directs the film, which is made in cooperation with Jackson’s estate, calling into question how deep into allegations of abuse the film will tackle. But producer King said Wednesday there is an expectation to be objective in a biopic.

“When you mention his name, everyone has an opinion,” said King. “For the first time … generations of moviegoers will come together to experience an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived.”

The feature has an April 18, 2025 release date. It also stars Colman Domingo as patriarch Joe Jackson and Miles Teller as manager John Branca.

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