"Michael", a biopic about Michael Jackson, is officially happening.

Little description of the footage

Yes, this just happened — to big cheers.

Producer Graham King showed up to close Lionsgate CinemaCon 2024 session in a big way with a very emotional first trailer to the movie which hits theaters on April 18, 2025. Antoine Fuqua is still directing the movie, but a first look clip was assembled.

The footage begins with scenes of screaming fans and cuts to Jackson as a little boy whose mother tells him, “There might be some people who think you’re different and that’s going to make life a little harder for you, but you never were like anyone else.”

In voiceover, a grown-up Jackson says of performing, “It transports your entire being, that’s what I want the world to feel like – magic.”

Some of the footage we saw today appears to take place during the Off the Wall era as well as that of Bad – “Man in the Mirror” is a key song heard throughout. We also see the pop singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as uncle Michael performing on stage. At one point, his voice over says, “When I’m not on stage, everything feels foreign to me.”

A voice over from what appears to be Katherine Jackson: “You have a very special light, so let the light shine into the world.”

michaeljackson.nl said:

Yes, this just happened — to big cheers.

Producer Graham King showed up to close Lionsgate CinemaCon 2024 session in a big way with a very emotional first trailer to the movie which hits theaters on April 18, 2025. Antoine Fuqua is still directing the movie, but a first look clip was assembled.

The footage begins with scenes of screaming fans and cuts to Jackson as a little boy whose mother tells him, “There might be some people who think you’re different and that’s going to make life a little harder for you, but you never were like anyone else.”

In voiceover, a grown-up Jackson says of performing, “It transports your entire being, that’s what I want the world to feel like – magic.”

Some of the footage we saw today appears to take place during the Off the Wall era as well as that of Bad – “Man in the Mirror” is a key song heard throughout. We also see the pop singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as uncle Michael performing on stage. At one point, his voice over says, “When I’m not on stage, everything feels foreign to me.”

A voice over from what appears to be Katherine Jackson: “You have a very special light, so let the light shine into the world.”

Lionsgate Shows Off Emotional, Intense First Look Of Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’ At CinemaCon

Yes, this just happened — to big cheers. Producer Graham King showed up to close Lionsgate CinemaCon 2024 session in a big way with a very emotional first trailer to the movie which hits theaters on April 18, 2025. Antoine Fuqua is still directing the movie, but a first look clip was assembled...

deadline.com

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Already got me feeling emotional at those few lines

From what I’m reading this is looking extremely great. Over 30 songs, Jaafar, incredibly long runtime. I have high anticipation for it.

No idea who this person is but ...

"From the reaction of the crowd, the two biggest smashes for Lionsgate are going to be Ballerina and Michael. Both films received thunderous reactions. Bet big on both of these films"

zinniabooklover said:

I don't watch biopics either but I'll bet a lot of songs will be on in the background of a scene. Plus some will just be fragments. No way will they be using 30 complete songs. I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. I guess they'll pick a few to highlight, they might be used in full.

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Oh I didn't understand it as using 30 total songs, that alone would be like 3 hours of only music.
But still, it's a lot!! For those of us who have his music in our genes this will feel like a joyride!!

Billie Jean 78 said:

Oh I didn't understand it as using 30 total songs, that alone would be like 3 hours of only music.
But still, it's a lot!! For those of us who have his music in our genes this will feel like a joyride!!

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The screening is getting a LOT of good reviews online!

I'm surprised they actually cut together a teaser to show, pretty awesome reactions to it as well.

@DirectorRB3

Lionsgate Panel Ranked:
1. GOOD FORTUNE - Aziz Ansari was unbelievably funny and the preview looked great


2. MICHAEL - Trailer was fire and the intro from Graham King was long but worthy


3. BALLERINA - Ana de Armas can do no wrong
4. FLIGHT RISK - Trailer alone was 10/10

SmoothGangsta said:

I'm surprised they actually cut together a teaser to show, pretty awesome reactions to it as well.

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I am so stoked!!!

I'm anxious to see the teaser... is it available anywhere?

Billie Jean 78 said:

I'm anxious to see the teaser... is it available anywhere?

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Haven't seen it.

Seeing lots of positive reactions but I'm guessing there will be a really tight block on anything leaking. At least, I assume so. Perhaps I'm naive, lol. I know nothing about how stuff leaks. It's all a mystery to me. But the comments I've seen - well, I've posted most of them here, lol - are red hot!

I doubt this particular teaser will be released tbh. (watch me post this and it ends up online, lol).

Michael​

Release Date: April 18, 2025.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Exclusive Footage Description From CinemaCon 2024:
Lionsgate closed out its CinemaCon 2024 presentation with the very first look at the Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Michael’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portrays him in the film. The footage covers all of the iconic eras from Jackson’s career, starting with his humble beginnings in The Jackson 5 with the hit song ‘ABC’ playing in the background. We then see a montage that goes from the Jackson 5 performing on television to Jackson in the ‘Thriller’ era. We see Michael’s iconic white socks and black shoes as he’s dancing while singing Bad. Jaafar Jackson sounds just like his uncle when delivering dialogue.

Michael is shown, later in his career after one of his accidents, with a black hat, face mask, and sunglasses flanked by security. He’s walking towards a car while a crazy crowd of fans and paparazzi screaming for him and even trying to jump on the car to even get a glimpse at him. Michael’s mom tells a young Michael, while she’s wiping a tear off his face, “You were never like everyone else.” We then get a close-up of Michael’s hand snapping, performing ‘Man in the Mirror’ to a big concert crowd. We see a young Michael sign thriller records with his short hair and iconic red jacket.

Then there’s a glimpse of Michael with his face wrapped up in gauze on a stretcher being led into a hospital — assuming this is the big Pepsi commercial incident. The trailer directly confirms that this biopic will address “the controversy” of Jackson’s career. The next image is of Michael on a balcony, which could be the baby dangling incident. There’s a quick shot of Michael sitting at a piano and taking a pill. We see quick glimpses of Nia Long and Coleman Domingo as Michael’s parents in his youth. The trailer ends with a shot of Michael in the white shirt/ black pants combi performing in front of hundreds of fans.

zinniabooklover said:

Haven't seen it.

Seeing lots of positive reactions but I'm guessing there will be a really tight block on anything leaking. At least, I assume so. Perhaps I'm naive, lol. I know nothing about how stuff leaks. It's all a mystery to me. But the comments I've seen - well, I've posted most of them here, lol - are red hot!

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I'm curious to see the teaser, but don't want to see to much, no unofficial leaks either. As far as I'm concerned they should do Michael's touch for business and keeping things a secret justice and straighten security around footage as much as possible. Just as Michael used to do. Lock up the doors, nobody takes anything out of there.

Billie Jean 78 said:

I'm anxious to see the teaser... is it available anywhere?

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But there is this. Just found it. Not the trailer but a written review.

Interesting he said it would be a long movie in order to cover everything. I was fully expecting it to be rather short, not that I'm complaining.

God I'm SO excited for this movie. All this positive reaction and it's for the teaser alone, imagine how it's gonna be like once the movie releases. 2025 is gonna be an amazing year for MJ fans that's for sure.

I don't like these enthusiastic people saying that this will be the biggest biopic of all time etc and make a billion... stop putting pressure on the film I say!!

It would be great if that was indeed the case but just enjoy the ride.

@Billie Jean 78

Posting as FYI

"While "Michael" is currently only halfway through production, /Film's Ryan Scott is on the ground at CinemaCon 2024 where Lionsgate gave fans a first look at the film. The results are apparently so accurate it's scary."

You guys, getting emotional over here !

Nvm it's a fake photo

ChanceToDance said:

Nvm it's a fake photo

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If real, holy sh*t! Eerie is right!

Why are people making fake photos lmao

Blues_Away2023 said:

I don't like these enthusiastic people saying that this will be the biggest biopic of all time etc and make a billion... stop putting pressure on the film I say!!

It would be great if that was indeed the case but just enjoy the ride.

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Here's a more low-key reaction for you!

"The music, the actors, the shots of performances makes this biopic look very promising"