Electric 'Michael' trailer sees MJ's nephew Jaafar Jackson channel his inner King of Pop
Lionsgate dropped the full-length trailer of 'Michael', the biopic of the King of Pop. Slated to release on April 24, the teaser that was released last year garnered immense buzz. Now, the trailer follows suit as it charts the rise of Jackson with soundtracks featuring his iconic hits.
"You are confident. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are the greatest of all time," the voiceover says as the sequence sees Jaafar Jackson, the late legend's nephew, in the titular role. The next couple of minutes see him grooving and setting the world on fire with his electric performances.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film also stars 'Top Gun: Maverick' star Miles Teller as Jackson’s attorney and adviser, John Branca. Rounding up the cast are Colman Domingo as his father Joe Jackson, Nia Long as his mother Katherine Jackson, Larenz Tate as Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, and Jessica Sula as his sister LaToya Jackson, alongside Laura Harrier as pioneering music executive Suzanne de Passe and Kat Graham as Diana Ross.
The official logline reads, "Michael tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins."
Previously, Fuqua spoke of Jaafar's close resemblance to the 'Billie Jean' star. "It’s uncanny how much he’s like Michael,” Fuqua told EW. "Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It’s really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him and introduced him to me, and I was blown away." The director also teased what 'Michael' had in store. "Just to tell the facts as we know them, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad, and the ugly."
At the time of writing, the expectations are that the film will also explore the controversies that put the spotlight on Jackson. The pop star was in the middle of multiple allegations of child sexual abuse (he was acquitted of them in 2005). The allegations were also explored in HBO's docu, 'Leaving Neverland'.
'Michael' releases April 24, 2026.
