Michael Jackson fans around the world are eagerly waiting for the King of Pop's much-anticipated biopic. The movie, starring the legendary singer's nephew
Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, is all set to release this Friday (April 24). Ahead of its release, special early-access screenings were held in the United States. The one-night-only premium-format screenings (IMAX/Dolby) took place two days before the worldwide release. And, X is overflowing with public and critic reviews. Despite mixed reactions from both, Jaafar Jackson has managed to stand out. The film has also left many Jackson fans emotional. Michael X Reviews: What Internet Thinks Of Michael Jackson's Biopic A user wrote, "Jaafar Jackson is tremendous in Michael, truly making you forget he isn’t the real thing. An off-the-charts performance. The rest of the movie is about as generic as you can get. Fans will love the musical performances, but there’s sadly no humanity behind them." Another tweeted: "The critics are massacring #Michael's movie, don't worry the movie wasn't made for them but for the fans, go without fear! The movie is way too beautiful!" "I just watched the movie Michael, and damn… watch it! Don’t let the reviews sway you! The movie is vague, sure, but it’s impossible to tell the story of Michael’s career in minute detail, given that he was famous since childhood. The movie covers about 20 years of his career but it highlights standout moments from his career. Jaafar Jackson is the spitting of Michael, the voice, the way he moves, the aura. For fans, you can tell the story of each moment there," read one X review. Check out the tweets here: About Michael The much-talked-about biopic is slated to arrive in cinemas on April 24, 2026. Did you know? The project originally intended to explore how allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking impacted Jackson’s life and legacy. However, according to Variety, nearly one-third of the film was cut after lawyers representing the Jackson estate found a clause in a legal agreement. Reportedly, one accuser barred them from mentioning him in a motion picture. This led to substantial rewrites and a delay in the biopic's release schedule. The changes increased the budget by $10 million to $15 million, say reports. Lionsgate is reportedly aiming at a global box office haul of around $700 million. Will it live up to the expectations? Only time will tell, but if achieved, it would emerge as the second biggest music biopic ever. The first is Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned $910 million worldwide.
