Seven years in development, multiple delays, a full round of reshoots, and the weight of one of the most complicated legacies in music history — and today, April 24, 2026, Michael is finally in theaters. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the biographical film traces the life of Michael Jackson from his childhood in Gary, Indiana, through the rise of the Jackson 5, to the recording of Thriller and the launch of the Bad tour. It is the first theatrical Michael Jackson film since the 2009 concert documentary This Is It, and it opens with the full backing of the Jackson estate, Lionsgate Films, and a cast built around a remarkable family connection: Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, carrying the title role in his film debut.
Jaafar Jackson Steps Into the Spotlight
At the center of everything is Jaafar Jackson, the 29-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson, who went through a two-year casting process before being confirmed in the role. Michael’s mother and Jaafar’s grandmother, Katherine Jackson, approved of the casting, saying he “embodies” her son — and Jaafar described himself as “humbled and honoured” to take on the part.
The performance is already the most discussed element of the film. Owen Gleiberman of Variety noted that Jaafar nails the look, the voice, and the electrostatic moves — and, more than that, captures the mixture of delicacy and steel that defined who Michael Jackson was. The Rotten Tomatoes audience consensus leans in a different direction than critics, with viewers describing moments in the performance that brought them back to the feeling of watching Jackson live. First reaction posts from the Los Angeles premiere trended immediately after screenings, with audiences calling Jaafar a revelation in the role.
On Rotten Tomatoes, 40% of 169 critics’ reviews are positive, with the site’s consensus reading that while Jaafar Jackson’s smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, the film largely plays like a greatest hits album that could have benefitted from more genuine insight into the icon. Audiences, however, have responded differently from critics — preview screenings in North America generated strong energy, and the film is tracking toward a significant opening weekend.
A Black Director, a Black Cast, a Family Story
The cultural weight of this production goes beyond the music. Antoine Fuqua is one of the most prominent Black directors working in Hollywood. Fuqua cut his teeth as a music video director in the 1990s, and his own family has ties to the early Motown story — his older cousin Harvey Fuqua founded the doo-wop group the Moonglows and was a significant figure in Marvin Gaye’s early career, and also worked as an executive at Motown when the company signed the Jackson 5 in 1968. The project is personal territory for him in ways that go beyond a commercial assignment.
Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, the patriarch whose iron discipline shaped — and scarred — the family’s rise to stardom, while Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, the matriarch who balanced her husband’s severity with her own quiet resilience. Domingo, coming off an Academy Award nomination season, brings formidable presence to a role that requires him to embody one of the most contested figures in pop music history. First reactions from the premiere consistently pointed to his performance as a force that commands the screen every time he appears.
The Story the Film Tells — and When It Ends
The film covers Michael Jackson’s life from his involvement in the Jackson 5 in the 1960s through the 1980s Bad tour, tracing his journey from a steelworker’s son in Gary to one of the most recognized performers in the world. Key narrative threads include the family’s signing with Motown, their move from Gary to Encino, Michael’s partnership with Quincy Jones on Off the Wall and Thriller, and his eventual decision to separate himself professionally from his father’s management.
The film ends in 1988, before the first allegations against Jackson arose in 1993. The original version of the film addressed the 1993 case, but required a massive overhaul after it was discovered that a settlement agreement prevented the estate from making mention of the case in any film about Jackson; the reshoots cost between $10 million and $15 million, with the estate footing the bill. That decision has generated a clear divide between critics, who have pushed back on the omission, and fans, who have embraced the film as a celebration of the music and the artistry.
Box Office and Cultural Moment
On April 23, Michael had already made $18.5 million in international distribution, setting first-day box office records for a musical biopic in numerous territories, and grossed $12.6 million during preview screenings in North America. The film is tracking to break the domestic opening weekend record for a music biopic, previously held by Straight Outta Compton.
A closing title card at the end of the film reads “His Story Continues” — a signal that Lionsgate is already positioning Michael as the beginning of a franchise. Whether a sequel moves forward may depend as much on cultural conversation as on box office returns. What is not in question is that today, in theaters across the country, a Black director and a Jackson family member are bringing one of the most singular stories in Black musical history back to the big screen — and audiences are showing up.
Michael is now in theaters nationwide, rated PG-13.
