First trailer for Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’ sparks mixed reactions

“I know you been waiting a long time for this...”

The first trailer has been released for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael.

First announced two years ago, the film will hit theatres on 24 April 2026, and features Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, playing his uncle. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) directs and John Logan (Gladiator, Skyfall) is behind the script.

It arrives 17 years after Jackson’s death on 25 June 2009, at the age of 50. The cause of death was acute propofol intoxication. While the Los Angeles County coroner ruled the death as a homicide, Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the artist’s death.

The synopsis reads: “Michael tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”

Here's the trailer:

Reactions have been mixed.

Plenty are excited and there has been a lot of praise for Jaafar Jackson looking just like his uncle. However, others have shared their fears that the biopic will omit some of the more controversial elements of Jackson's life.

Check out some of the reactions below:

Indeed, there has been speculation regarding the tone and themes of the film – specifically whether Michael will be a whitewashed “Wasn’t he iconic?” version that has seen so many biopics fail when it comes to truly tackling the complexities of a life. It’s not clear whether the film will touch on any of the controversies that met the "King of Pop” later in life.

Dan Reed, the director of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which documented allegations of sexual abuse against Michael Jackson, has previously criticised the making of this biopic, saying that it “will glorify a man who raped children.”

“In an era when full-throated outrage accompanies anything that smells of delegitimisation or insensitivity against a vulnerable group, it amounts to a deafening silence,” he wrote in the Guardian in 2023. “No one is talking about ‘cancelling’ this movie, which will glorify a man who raped children.”

“What the total absence of outrage accompanying the announcement of this movie tells us is that Jackson’s seduction is still a living force, operating from beyond the grave,” he continued.

From the synopsis, the film does indeed seem to be focused on his glory days.

There has also been plenty of speculation about the biopic being split in two.

Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Groups, spoke of the potential split during a quarterly earnings call with analysts, per The Hollywood Reporter.

“While we’re not yet ready to confirm plans for a second film, I can tell you that the creative team is hard at work making sure that we’re in a position to deliver more Michael soon after we release the first film,” Fogelson said.

The hope is that Michael will be a global juggernaut like Bohemian Rhapsody before it, which grossed over $900 million worldwide.

Michael comes out on 24 April 2026.