First trailer drops for Michael Jackson biopic

The first, highly-anticipated trailer for Michael, the biopic charting the life of the legendary Michael Jackson has finally arrived, offering a glittering but heavily scrutinised look at the journey of the King of Pop. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the iconic singer, the film is now set to be released on April 24, 2026.

Michael trailer drops today with Jaafar Jackson playing the lead

The teaser trailer is set to MJ’s classic Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', and it focuses more on career highlights. It shows some impressive teasers where Jaafar Jackson has perfectly replicated all the signature moves and outfits of his uncle, starting from the early days of Jackson 5 to the creation of his magnum opus album, Thriller. The trailer depicts completely triumphant scenes from his childhood onward, focusing on his creative genius and relentless pursuit for perfection.

But within hours, the teaser had quickly attracted criticism for its relentlessly upbeat tone and apparent ‘whitewash’ of the singer’s highly controversial life. Producer Graham King has said the film aims to “humanise but not sanitise” Jackson’s story, but critics point out the trailer does not explicitly mention the long-standing sexual abuse allegations which dogged the star’s later career.

Not helping the controversy is that Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson, has publicly disavowed the project. She said she had “0% involvement” and that the script was riddled with “full-blown lies” and inaccuracies that the producers ignored. She thinks the film “panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom.”

The cast also includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson. Off-screen drama and problems with production have pushed the release date back multiple times, but the first look promises spectacular performance sequences and a broad overview of a globally influential artiste.

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