Lionsgate has finally dropped the long-awaited trailer for 'Michael', Antoine Fuqua's glossy, full-throttle biopic about the rise, reign and turmoil of Michael Jackson — and, true to tabloid form, it's bursting with nostalgia, drama and moonwalk-ready swagger.

The teaser opens with a studio scene straight out of pop history. Quincy Jones, played with calm authority by Kendrick Sampson, turns to a young, quietly charged Jackson — portrayed by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson — and declares, "I know you've been waiting a long time for this." 

From there, the trailer races through Jackson's childhood flashes, Motown years, and the glitter-soaked heights of Thriller, all pulsing to "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."

The star-studded cast brings the saga's sprawling family and industry world to life: Colman Domingo as domineering patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long as matriarch Katherine, Jessica Sula as LaToya, Larenz Tate as Motown mastermind Berry Gordy and Kat Graham stepping into Diana Ross's stilettos. Miles Teller appears as Jackson's legal adviser John Branca, with additional turns from Liv Symone as Gladys Knight and others who shaped the singer's orbit.

Although wrapped in May 2024, the film went through reshoots and rumours of a two-part release. But the new trailer suggests a single feature, now slated for 24 April 2026 after shifting from its original 3 October 2025 date.

Billed as an "intimate look" at the artist's legacy, Michael promises a sweeping portrait of the superstar who changed pop music — and culture — forever.

 

Michael Jackson