Michael trailer drops after delays as biopic promises to ‘humanise but not sanitise’ Jackson’s controversial life

Michael trailer drops after delays as biopic promises to ‘humanise but not sanitise’ Jackson’s controversial life

The first trailer for Michael, the long-discussed Michael Jackson biopic, has finally surfaced online, offering the first proper look at a project that has been surrounded by shifting timelines, creative disputes, and broader cultural scrutiny.

Production on the film wrapped in May 2024, and at the time it was expected to arrive in April 2025. That date didn’t last. The release was first moved to October, and then again to April 2026 after reshoots in June. Rumours then circulated that the project had been split into two films, but the trailer indicates it will be released as a single feature.

Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua, known for Training Day, The Equalizer, and Olympus Has Fallen. The script is written by Oscar nominee John Logan, who previously penned Gladiator, The Aviator and Hugo. The casting has drawn attention: the role of Jackson is played by Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew. Colman Domingo, recently Oscar-nominated, appears as Joe Jackson. The ensemble also includes Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Laura Harrier.

Producer Graham King has been vocal about the film’s tone and intentions. “Michael’s life was complicated,” King said. “As a film-maker, I look to humanise but not sanitise and present the most compelling, unbiased story I can capture in a single feature film and let the audience decide how they feel after watching it. Michael clearly remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist with a life and legacy worth exploring.”

The challenge, and the controversy, has always been how the film handles the allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson. These claims were re-examined in Dan Reed’s 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, in which two men said Jackson abused them when they were children. Reed has been critical of how the biopic approaches this chapter of the singer’s life, reportedly calling a draft of the script “startlingly disingenuous.” He said the script portrayed Jackson as “only ever seen caring for children with childhood cancer, or dancing with a little girl in a wheelchair, or tucking up multiple little boys … at sleepovers.”

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The Jackson family’s relationship with the film has also been a point of confusion. Earlier this year, Colman Domingo said Jackson’s children Paris and Prince supported the production. Paris quickly rebutted that claim on Instagram: “Don’t be telling people I was ‘helpful’ on the set of a movie I had zero percent involvement in lol that is so weird.” She added that she read an early script, shared her concerns, and “when they didn’t address it I moved on with my life. Not my monkeys not my circus.”

She went on: “The film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy, and they’re gonna be happy with it.”

Michael is reported to have a budget of $155m. It arrives after a disappointing performance from the recent Bruce Springsteen biopic, which has earned only $31m since release. Michael is scheduled to open in cinemas in April 2026.