Jaafar Jackson steps into his uncle's shoes in 'Michael,' opening April 24 with a projected $55M debut. Critics get their first look today — but the film's controversial cuts are already making headlines.
When Lionsgate releases Michael on April 24, audiences will not just be watching a film — they will be stepping into one of the most carefully managed, fiercely debated, and commercially ambitious biopics Hollywood has ever produced. At three and a half hours, the Antoine Fuqua-directed epic is the longest music biopic in mainstream release history, and its scope matches its runtime. Written by John Logan, the film traces Michael Jackson's journey from the Jackson 5 to the peak of his solo career, ending during his legendary Bad tour as he prepares to take the stage for another performance. Jaafar Jackson, Michael's nephew making his film debut, has spent years preparing for the role, and early promotional footage suggests an uncanny physical resemblance combined with what insiders describe as a deeply committed performance.
The casting is not the only thing generating conversation. Variety reported that the film underwent significant reshoots to remove content related to child abuse allegations that dogged Jackson throughout his later career and after his death. The decision to cut this material has divided opinion sharply. Supporters argue that a feature film is not a courtroom and that the allegations — which never resulted in a criminal conviction — should not define the artistic legacy of one of the most influential performers in history. Critics counter that omitting the allegations entirely amounts to sanitising history for commercial gain, particularly given that the Jackson estate, which co-produced the film, has a financial interest in protecting the brand. Colman Domingo portrays Joe Jackson, Michael's domineering father, and the film reportedly draws much of its dramatic tension from that relationship — the father who built the Jackson 5 machine and the son who needed to escape it to become the biggest solo artist in the world.
Commercially, the numbers are staggering. Early tracking projects a domestic opening weekend above 55 million dollars, and Lionsgate executives envision a worldwide gross of at least 700 million — figures that would make Michael the highest-grossing music biopic ever, surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody's 910-million-dollar total if international markets respond as expected. Critics will post their first reactions on social media today, April 10, giving the public a two-week preview window before opening day. The film arrives in a market that has proven hungry for music biopics — from Bohemian Rhapsody to Rocketman to the Bob Marley film — but none have attempted the sheer scale and runtime of Michael. Whether three and a half hours of the King of Pop is an act of cinematic ambition or commercial hubris will be answered in two weeks. What is already clear is that Michael Jackson remains, even 17 years after his death, the most bankable name in music.