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Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, is getting a global release. Lionsgate is releasing the movie stateside on April 18, 2025, with Universal is handling overseas distribution.
Today, Lionsgate announced that it was beginning production on director Antoine Fuqua’s Michael on January 22.
The John Logan-scripted movie, produced by Bohemian Rhapsody‘s Graham King, follows the complicated man who becomes the King of Pop, from triumphs to tragedies, from his human side and personal struggles to his creative genius. The co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain, also are producers.
Among those involved in the production are Oscar-winning director of photography Dion Beebe, production designer Barbara Ling, costume designer Marci Rodgers, choreographers Rich + Tone, Oscar-winning makeup artist Bill Corso, Oscar-nominated hair stylist Carla Farmer, Oscar-winning sound and music supervisor John Warhurst and VFX supervisor Louis Morin, joined by a crew of more than 420.
Deadline first told you about Michael back in November 2019, which reteamed Logan and King, who worked together on Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator. King secured the rights to make the movie from the Michael Jackson estate with access to all of the multi-Grammy winner’s music. The movie landed at Lionsgate in February 2022.
Last January, Jaafar Jackson, the 27-year old nephew of Michael Jackson, landed the title role. The singer and songwriter is the son of former Jackson 5 member and solo act Jermaine Jackson. Jaafar has been singing and dancing since age 12 and showcased himself singing tunes from Sam Cooke to Marvin Gaye, along with originals.
Fuqua said in an interview with EW: “It’s uncanny how much he’s like Michael … sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It’s really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away.”
While the estate’s of musical legends can often hold sway of how their cinematic narrative is told, Fuqua says his Michael Jackson biopic will retell the King of Pop’s tale “as we know it” and tackle some of the controversies the singer was involved in during his lifetime.
“Just to tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad and the ugly,” Fuqua said in that interview.
King said in a statement today: “I’m so honored to tell Michael’s story. It’s been a long journey and I’m excited for the film to show audiences around the world a perspective of Michael that they’ve never seen.”
Added Adam Fogelson, Chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group: “Michael Jackson was inarguably one of the greatest entertainers of all time. His impact on music, video, art, fashion, culture – and so much more – was extraordinary and is still profoundly relevant. I can’t wait for audiences to be able to see this film in theaters worldwide next year.”
The spring date previously was reserved for Universal/Blumhouse/Morgan Creek’s The Exorcist – The Deceiver. That sequel to this past fall’s The Exorcist: The Believer ($136.2M) is now unset as a search for a new director is underway; the most recent installment’s David Gordon Green is busy with the Ben Stiller movie, Nutcrackers, as well as the fourth season of the HBO comedy series The Righteous Gemstones.