Michael Jackson biopic producer promises film 'will touch on everything'

The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic begins with the man in the mirror.

On Wednesday, Lionsgate made a surprise debut Michael, an upcoming film about the King of Pop directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training day) and produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody). King took the stage at CinemaCon to show audiences the film's first footage, even though the project was still in production.

“A biopic is additionally expected to be an adaptable, authentic portrayal that stays true to the subject matter,” King said. “There are biographies and then there is Michael Jackson. An enigma, full of eccentricities, electrifying talent, arguably the most famous entertainer to ever walk the planet. And yet, behind the relentless scrutiny, accusations and oppressive media spotlight, he was just a man.” “A man who led a very complicated life will cover over 30 songs and some of the most famous performances on stage as well Re-enacting life away from the public eye.”

The promise to “get involved in anything” is remarkable given this Leave Neverland Director Dan Reed recently criticized the biopic, calling it “a complete whitewash.”

“It is a complete attempt to completely rewrite and dismiss the allegations out of hand, and it contains outright lies,” Reed said The Times of London. “You never see him alone with a boy, although in fact he shared his bed with small children for many years.” (Reed recounted Weekly entertainment He made these comments after reading a draft of the law Michael Script.)

Reed's 2019 documentary focuses on the allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who both claim that Jackson sexually abused them as children in the late '80s and early to mid '90s.

Fuqua directs from a screenplay by John Logan (Skyfall), The film stars Jackson's real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson (Jermaine Jackson's son) in his feature film debut. The cast also includes Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Nia Long and more.

“Considering Michael Jackson's extraordinary life, professional achievements, personal challenges, artistry and musical legacy, his story is certainly one worthy of a cinematic event presentation,” King said. “For the first time, not only hundreds of fans around the world, but generations of moviegoers will come together to get a glimpse of the most prolific artists of all time.”

“The filmmaking stories that have always been close to my heart have characters that are multidimensional and in which there are elements of drama, intrigue, conflict and emotional challenge,” he continued. “Then I try to find the previously untold version of the story – and try to present it from a perspective that hopefully gives the audience something new to take away creatively. As you can only imagine, Michael Jackson ticks all those boxes.”

CinemaCon attendees were shown the first footage of Jaafar as Michael, in which the actor performed many of Jackson's signature dance moves and imitated his uncle's voice, which reporters described as “spot-on.”

It also featured Jackson as Michael, who said, “When I'm performing, I feel alive, but when I'm not on stage, everything seems strange to me.” Additionally, the footage showed the younger version of Michael as a member the Jackson 5.

“Michael, there may be some people who think you're different,” Long said, as Jackson's mother said in the trailer. “And that's going to make your life a little harder… but you've never been like everyone else.”

The footage included a title card that read: “Beyond the music, beyond the legend, beyond the controversy, discover the man.”

The film is currently in production and is scheduled to be released on April 18, 2025 by Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International.

Additional reporting by Lauren Huff and Nicholas Romano

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