A new trailer for the beleaguered Michael Jackson biopic Michael is here. Watch it below. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as his own uncle, the movie is set for release on April 24 after being beset by delays and reshoots—reportedly due to legal issues around the question of how to deal with the pedophilia allegations that first came to light in the 1990s. Reports that this installment will cut off in the 1980s—with a possible sequel to follow—are unconfirmed, but the synopsis, trailer, and studio messaging suggest the film will not look beyond Jackson’s early solo career.
Michael is approved by the late singer’s estate, which has been handling—or, by some accounts, mishandling—the legal rights of Jackson’s accusers in relation to the story. In 2023, Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed wrote in an op-ed for The Observer that the biopic will “glorify a man who raped children,” noting that it is “completely uncontested” that “Jackson spent innumerable nights alone in bed with young boys.” In 2024, Reed told Variety that he had read a “startlingly disingenuous” draft of the screenplay that tried to discredit the allegations of Leaving Neverland contributors Wade Robson and James Safechuck. “Jackson is only ever seen caring for children with childhood cancer, or dancing with a little girl in a wheelchair, or tucking up multiple little boys, mostly his nephews, at sleepovers,” Reed said.
The film also stars Miles Teller as Jackson’s attorney and adviser John Branca, Colman Domingo and Nia Long as his parents, Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy, and Kat Graham as Diana Ross. The first trailer arrived late last year.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
