Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death and sexual abuse
King of Pop, Michael Jackson’s magic persists long after his passing. An exclusive trailer of Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic, Michael was teased at CinemaCon held in Las Vegas on Thursday. Lionsgate offered a dazzling first look at the biopic to theater owners at the event, that left them electrified.
Producer Graham King shared that 2025’s Michael will be “an inside look” into the pop legend’s complicated life, exploring all the controversies and his backstory to stardom. In works for seven years, Michael will feature a star-studded cast with MJ’s niece, Jaafar Jackson portraying the icon’s part.
Michel Jackson’s biopic wows at CinemaCon
It is only fair that the best people be involved with reiterating the King of Pop’s larger-than-life career and personal struggles. Michael is helmed by The Equalizer director Antoine Fuqua and scripted by Gladiator screenwriter John Logan. Producer Graham King was also attached to the blockbuster hit musical biopic of Queen’s lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody. 
After the exclusive glimpse of Michael commenced at the Colosseum in Caesar’s Palace, King noted the musical as “an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived." ”There are elements of drama, intrigue and emotional states…There are biopics — and there’s Michael Jackson,” he added.
Michael unravels into a fleeting scene of screaming fans cheering for Jackson as he hits the stage. Fragments of his most iconic performances, Man in the Mirror and Thriller, flash in. Eventually, a climactic monologue shows MJ’s mother Katherine Jackson enlightening young MJ about his special gifts. “There might be some people who think you’re different, and that’s gonna make life a little harder for you. But you never were like anyone else. Michael, you have a very special light. So make that light shine onto the world,” she says in the teaser.
The biopic is set to feature over 30 iconic songs of Jackson in addition to delving into the complex superstar life he led as a shy and private man. Original footage of his notable interviews and performances is seamlessly integrated into the musical’s storyline. Producer King has been working on the biopic for seven years, conducting hundreds of interviews to gather a deeper insight into the pop star’s life and legacy.
Michael is eyeing a release date of April 18, 2025. It stars Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson. Other cast members include Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Larenz Tate, and Jessica Sula.
Michael Jackson’s biopic will explore many of his controversies
While the moonwalker’s life hit the highest highs, it also bore the lowest of lows. Michael Jackson was slammed with more than one child sexual abuse allegation and a 1993 lawsuit had to be settled out of civil court jurisdictions. Besides that, the hitmaker also had civil and criminal lawsuits lined against his name.
The 2003 documentary, Living with Michael Jackson, showed footage of the star holding hands with a minor. He disclosed that they share a bed that urged the investigators to probe into his personal life and was later arrested on charges of child molestation, per Forbes. MJ was acquitted on all counts in 2005. Four years later, he tragically passed away by overdosing on propofol.
Speaking of the controversies, King promised, “We’ll get into all of it. Behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the spotlight, he was simply a man — a man with a very complicated life.” Michael will certainly delve deeper into the several allegations MJ was facing and other debatable parts of his life. However, the filmmakers are assured that Michael has the potential to be a musical hit.
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