Estate approved feature film revisits the early rise of the King Of Pop, with Antoine Fuqua directing and Jaafar Jackson stepping into his uncle’s role.
by Paul Cashmere
A new trailer has been released for Michael, the long anticipated biopic examining the life and legacy of Michael Jackson, with the film now locked in for an April 24 cinema release. After a production journey marked by delays, reshoots and intense public scrutiny, the project has emerged as one of the most closely watched music films in recent years.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael stars Jaafar Jackson, the son of Jermaine Jackson, portraying his uncle. The film is officially endorsed by the late singer’s estate, a factor that has shaped both its creative direction and its framing of Jackson’s life story. From the material released so far, including the new trailer, the focus is firmly on Jackson’s formative years, tracing his development from child prodigy in The Jackson 5 through to his explosive emergence as a solo superstar in the late 1970s and 1980s.
The trailer presents a familiar arc to Jackson’s story, the demanding early years under the guidance of father Joe Jackson, the disciplined grind of Motown, and the extraordinary leap into global fame with albums such as Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad. Scenes of stadium performances are intercut with studio moments and family tensions, positioning the film as both a celebration of artistic ambition and a study of the pressures placed on a uniquely gifted performer from an early age.
Fuqua brings considerable cinematic weight to the project. Best known for Training Day, the Oscar winning crime drama that cemented his reputation, Fuqua has consistently demonstrated an ability to balance character driven storytelling with large scale spectacle. That balance is essential for a subject as culturally dominant as Jackson, whose influence extended beyond music into dance, fashion, video production and global pop culture.
The supporting cast reflects the breadth of Jackson’s professional and personal world. Colman Domingo portrays Joe Jackson, while Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson. Miles Teller appears as long time lawyer and adviser John Branca, a central figure in Jackson’s business affairs and the administration of his estate. The film also features Larenz Tate as Motown founder Berry Gordy and Kat Graham as Diana Ross, acknowledging the key figures who shaped Jackson’s early career and industry relationships.
Younger versions of Michael and his brothers are also depicted, with child performer Juliano Krue Valdi taking on the role of a young Michael. This allows the film to explore the Jackson 5 era in detail, including the relentless touring and recording schedule that introduced Michael Jackson to the world before he reached his teenage years.
While Michael arrives with the full support of the Jackson estate, the project has not been free from controversy. Questions remain about how the film addresses allegations that have surrounded Jackson since the 1990s. Public commentary from critics of the project has suggested the biopic avoids those issues entirely, or reframes them in a manner consistent with the estate’s long standing position. The studio has indicated the film aims to humanise Jackson without erasing complexity, though the material released so far suggests the narrative largely concludes before the most contentious later chapters of his life.
There has also been industry speculation that Michael was initially conceived as the first part of a longer story, with later years potentially explored in a sequel. While this has not been formally confirmed, reports of the film’s extended running time and earlier discussions around a two part release have added to that perception. For now, the April release is positioned as a self contained cinematic portrait centred on Jackson’s ascent.
Michael Jackson remains one of the most documented figures in modern music history. From groundbreaking short films such as Thriller and Black Or White, to concert spectacles and posthumous releases like This Is It, his image has rarely left the public eye. What Michael attempts to do is distil that vast narrative into a traditional feature film format, combining performance recreation with personal insight.
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