Michael Jackson Biopic Sets a Berlin Premiere

Michael Jackson’s feature biopic has confirmed its international premiere.

Love them or hate them, biopic films always seem to draw a crowd. Following on from the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, A Complete Unknown and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Knowhere, the latest to join the craze is Michael — retelling the early years of Michael Jackson’s career in the feature format.

Announced this week by the film’s producer, Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), to the crowd at Munich Film Week, Michael will host its international premiere in Berlin, before a Michael Jackson fan festival ensues shortly after, with more details to come about both events.

Michael stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in his feature film debut as Michael Jackson alongside Nia Long (Empire, The Best Man franchise) as Katherine Jackson, Laura Harrier (BlacKkKlansman, Spider-Man: Homecoming) as Suzanne De Passe and Juliano Krue Valdi (The Loud House, Arco) as a younger Michael Jackon, with Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick, Whiplash) as John Branca and two-time Academy Award® nominee Colman Domingo (Sing Sing, Rustin) as Joe Jackson.

Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Olympus Has Fallen, The Equalizer), from a screenplay by three-time Academy Award® nominee John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator). The film is produced by Academy Award® winner Graham King for his company GK Films, alongside executive producers John Branca (This Is It, Thriller 40) and John McClain (This Is It, Thriller 40). The film is distributed internationally by Universal Pictures.

The biopic is set to be released in theatres on April 23, 2026, having been delayed from its original release date of October 3, 2025. Although Michael was reported to have wrapped its production in May 2024, it supposedly underwent reshoots, and there were reports that it was split into two parts — though the trailer makes it appear to be just one film. Watch the trailer below.