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What is the story about?
The first trailer for the long-awaited biopic Michael— on the life of one of the greatest pop icons, Michael Jackson — has emerged, offering a captivating look at the transformation of Jackson from a child prodigy to a global superstar. The Antoine Fuqua directorial features Jaafar Jackson, son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson, in the lead role, and it is the closest it gets to the King of Pop’s adventure.
The trailer shows Jaafar Jackson capturing the distinct movements, voice, and costumes of his legendary uncle in the trailer, from the iconic red leather jacket and skeletal makeup of the 'Thriller' video to the exuberant stage performances that established
Michael's reputation as one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
The promotional video further highlights Michael’s early days with the Jackson 5, his success as a solo artist, and his unwavering quest for perfection.
The movie was supposed to be released in April 2025, but the release date has been pushed to April 24, 2026, due to several reshoots and rumoured production problems.
According to the music producer Graham King, who was also behind Bohemian Rhapsody , the movie wants to "humanise but not sanitise" Jackson's story and give “the most compelling, unbiased story” one can get.
“Michael’s life was complicated … As a film-maker … I can capture in a single feature film and let people decide how they feel after watching it. Michael clearly remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist with a life and legacy worth exploring,” Graham King told The Guardian.
There has been criticism concerning the concept and the trailer as well. Although Michael's relatives have openly expressed their support, his daughter, Paris Jackson, has slammed the biopic, claiming she had ‘zero per cent involvement’ in it and that it was ‘sugar-coated.’
In subsequent Instagram posts, she elaborated on her remarks, stating that the producers had specifically informed her that her notes would not be addressed.
“The narrative is being controlled, and there is a lot of inaccuracy, and there are a lot of just full-blown lies … that I don’t really go along with... Do whatever. Leave me out of it,” Paris told The Guardian.
Critics have also pointed out that the trailer makes no explicit mention of the long-standing accusations of sexual abuse against the late singer, which some contend runs the danger of creating a biased story.
The singer's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the lead role, Oscar nominee Colman Domingo will play Joe Jackson, and Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Laura Harrier will fill additional parts.
From a creative perspective, the first look promises a broad overview of Michael Jackson's life, including thrilling performance sequences, striking renditions of his iconic albums and photos, and the portrayal of a visionary and ambitious artist.
It remains to be seen if Michael will offset the pop spectacle with more subtlety.
The trailer shows Jaafar Jackson capturing the distinct movements, voice, and costumes of his legendary uncle in the trailer, from the iconic red leather jacket and skeletal makeup of the 'Thriller' video to the exuberant stage performances that established
The promotional video further highlights Michael’s early days with the Jackson 5, his success as a solo artist, and his unwavering quest for perfection.
The movie was supposed to be released in April 2025, but the release date has been pushed to April 24, 2026, due to several reshoots and rumoured production problems.
According to the music producer Graham King, who was also behind Bohemian Rhapsody , the movie wants to "humanise but not sanitise" Jackson's story and give “the most compelling, unbiased story” one can get.
“Michael’s life was complicated … As a film-maker … I can capture in a single feature film and let people decide how they feel after watching it. Michael clearly remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist with a life and legacy worth exploring,” Graham King told The Guardian.
There has been criticism concerning the concept and the trailer as well. Although Michael's relatives have openly expressed their support, his daughter, Paris Jackson, has slammed the biopic, claiming she had ‘zero per cent involvement’ in it and that it was ‘sugar-coated.’
In subsequent Instagram posts, she elaborated on her remarks, stating that the producers had specifically informed her that her notes would not be addressed.
“The narrative is being controlled, and there is a lot of inaccuracy, and there are a lot of just full-blown lies … that I don’t really go along with... Do whatever. Leave me out of it,” Paris told The Guardian.
Critics have also pointed out that the trailer makes no explicit mention of the long-standing accusations of sexual abuse against the late singer, which some contend runs the danger of creating a biased story.
The singer's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the lead role, Oscar nominee Colman Domingo will play Joe Jackson, and Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Laura Harrier will fill additional parts.
From a creative perspective, the first look promises a broad overview of Michael Jackson's life, including thrilling performance sequences, striking renditions of his iconic albums and photos, and the portrayal of a visionary and ambitious artist.
It remains to be seen if Michael will offset the pop spectacle with more subtlety.
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