'Michael' Biopic Premieres in Los Angeles
The biopic 'Michael' held its U.S. premiere in Los Angeles on April 20, 2026, eliciting a range of early reactions from attendees. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, the film chronicles Michael Jackson's rise from the Jackson 5 to solo stardom. It is set for theatrical release worldwide on April 24, 2026.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewThe U.S. premiere of 'Michael' took place in Los Angeles on April 20, 2026, with viewers praising lead actor Jaafar Jackson's performance while some critiqued the film's sanitized approach. Attendees described Jaafar Jackson's portrayal as electric and spot-on, capturing the singer's demeanor, dance moves and presence in a way that made audiences forget it was not the real Michael Jackson.
The event followed the film's world premiere in Berlin on April 10, 2026, and came ahead of its scheduled theatrical release on April 22, 2026, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, with full critics reviews dropping the same day and worldwide release on April 24, 2026.
Jaafar Jackson, nephew of Michael Jackson and son of Jermaine Jackson, plays the adult Michael Jackson in the film, delivering what several reactions called a tremendous and unreal performance.
Another attendee, Matthew Belloni, added, 'Jafaar Jackson is unreal in MICHAEL.' Juliano Krue Valdi portrays the young Michael Jackson, rounding out the depiction of the singer's early years. The film serves as the first official biopic of Michael Jackson, tracing his journey from his early Motown days with the Jackson 5 to his breakout as a solo artist.
It has secured rights to use Michael Jackson's music, allowing for recreations of iconic performances that reactions highlighted as highlights, such as the 'Beat It' number. ' Produced by Graham King, who previously produced the film Bohemian Rhapsody, which won four Oscars and earned $911 million at the global box office, 'Michael' aims to capture a similar audience.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the movie features a cast including Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as John Branca. ' Additional cast members include Lauren Farrier as music executive Suzanne de Passe, Kendrick Sampson as producer Quincy Jones, Larenz Tate as Motown chief Berry Gordy, Liv Symone as singer Gladys Knight, and Kevin Shinick as TV host Dick Clark.
