Michael Jackson biopic lands 2025 premier

The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, titled Michael, has finally locked in a release date: April 18, 2025. Lionsgate, the film's distributor, announced the news this week, sending ripples of excitement through the legions of Jackson fans around the world.

The picture is being released by the studio in the United States and worldwide by Universal. Variety reported that the movie's production will start on January 22.

“Michael will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop,” reads the movie’s official synopsis. “The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.”

Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson will play the Thriller singer in the next production under the helm of Antoine Fuqua, the acclaimed director behind films like Training Day and Emancipation.

Jermaine Jackson, Michael's elder brother, is the father of Jaafar. John Logan, who starred in Gladiator, wrote the screenplay.

"It's uncanny how much [Jaafar is] like Michael," Fuqua told Entertainment Weekly. "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."

Fuqua is joined by a powerhouse team of producers, including John Branca and John McClain, the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, and Graham King, the Oscar-winning producer behind Bohemian Rhapsody. The script comes from the pen of John Logan, known for his work on Gladiator and The Aviator.