Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’ Finally Secures April 2026 Release Date

Photo Credit: BACKGRID (Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson on set of Michael)

After several years of delays and speculation, the highly anticipated biopic of Michael Jackson, titled Michael, has a firm release date.

Lionsgate and Universal Pictures announced that the film will premiere globally in theaters and IMAX on April 24, 2026. This marks the third major shift in the release schedule since the project was first unveiled years ago. The film was originally set for a release date in April 2025, but production setbacks, lengthy post-production efforts, and extensive reshoots led to the date being pushed to October 2025. Further complications extended the timeline into next year.

Lionsgate’s CEO John Feltheimer acknowledged in May 2025, “It was ‘likely’ the studio will have to move the [Michael film] out of the 2025 fiscal year, ‘which will impact fiscal ‘26 financial results but will bolster an already strong ‘27 slate.”

Principal photography wrapped in May 2024. The delays were attributed to reshoots, legal hurdles, and the project’s extraordinary scope. Reports confirmed that 22 additional days of photography were completed in mid-2025. The film’s first cut exceeded three and a half hours, prompting discussions about potentially dividing the project into two parts—though only the first part currently has a release date.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michael stars the late legendary King of Pop’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role. The project is produced by Academy Award-winner Graham King, who emphasizes the film’s ambition to present “an intimate look at the life and enduring legacy of one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.

Other cast on board include Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as John Branca, Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, and Kat Graham as Diana Ross. The narrative of the film aims to chronicle Jackson’s rise from child stardom in the Jackson 5 to his assumption of the title ‘King of Pop.’ Reports note that legal concerns influenced the exclusion of some details such as dramatizations involving individuals from past legal settlements.

The budget for Michael is a whopping $155 million, underlining the scale of its production and marketing expectations. Lionsgate will distribute the film in the United States, with Universal handling international markets outside of Japan—where Kino Films will serve as distributor.

Link to the source article – https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2025/07/23/michael-jackson-biopic-release-date/