Miami.- The expected biopic of Michael Jacksonsimply titled Michael, will not reach the rooms of cinema In 2025 as originally announced. Lionsgate confirmed that the global premiere has been reprogrammed for April 24, 2026, citing both creative and strategic reasons.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and starring Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the King of Pop, the film now faces a deeper review process that includes narrative restructuring, possible reshoots and even the division of the film into two parts.
Sources close to production revealed that the first biopic cut had a duration of more than three and a half hours, which forced producers to reconsider the approach.
Two deliveries
According to The Guardian, the team evaluates dividing the film into two deliveries to be able to cover the different periods of Jackson’s life more precisely, from its beginnings in the Jackson 5 to its consecration as a soloist.
In addition, it was reported that some scenes played extremely delicate issues, such as Jordan Chandler, who accused Jackson in 1993 of inappropriate behavior. Due to a legal agreement that prohibits representing that episode in dramatic media, producers were forced to eliminate or modify these sequences.
Beyond the narrative, there are also business reasons. The delay position Michael Outside the closing of the 2025 fiscal year of Lionsgate, which would allow the study to project better financial results in 2026 and concentrate its advertising campaign on a more favorable calendar for awards and the international box office.
A global premiere
The new date of April 24, 2026 keeps the film as one of the most ambitious premieres of the study. A simultaneous launch in traditional cinemas and IMAX is expected, with distribution by Lionsgate in the United States and Universal Pictures at international level. The estimated budget exceeds 155 million dollars.
According to rumors, the first part of the film would focus on childhood, Jackson’s meteoric rise, and its world star transformation until 1980, while a possible second part would address the most complex years of his adult life.
With John Logan’s script, the film promises to explore not only the musical successes of Michael Jackson, but also his personal life, the moments of glory and the controversies that marked him. However, the question that many ask themselves is whether the film will show a balanced version of the artist, or if he will bow towards a more favorable and controlled narrative by his family.
