The Michael Jackson biopic Michael is, as previously rumoured, set to move into 2026, and might even become two films. More here.
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Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic is a film that is sure to court controversy when it finally comes out. While the late singer still boasts an incredibly large fanbase around the world, his life was (and still is) dogged by controversy of such a scale that a biopic of his life is simply going to have to address it in some way.
Of course, given that the music for the film will be licensed by the singer’s estate, there is already a strong degree of scepticism regarding just how this aspect of Jackson’s life will be addressed. But like most people writing about the film, we’ve not seen a frame of it, so we’ll have to wait and see.
It looks as though the waiting will go on, though. News is landing (via Variety) that Universal and Lionsgate are now looking to push the film back and split it into two films. That won’t do any harm to the movie’s bottom line. There are rumours that the last act of the movie is being retooled, too. No confirmation on that, though.
Starring in the title role is Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of the late pop icon. Nia Long will be playing Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the Jackson clan. Miles Teller is in place to play an unnamed attorney, while Colman Domingo is also part of the ensemble.
Stories were circling a while ago that the film was having issues in post-production, with unsubstantiated claims stating that this section of the film needed to be reshot because of ‘legal issues’. How true that is, again we simply don’t know. However, it now looks as though parts of the script are being rewritten ahead of reshoots. If the plan now is to turn the supposed four-hour cut into a pair of two-hour films, then it would make sense for reshoots to be in place to pick up any necessary changes that stem from that rather substantial strategy shift.
A24’s MMA drama, The Smashing Machine, has already jumped into the early October release slot that Michael is expected to vacate. We’ll bring you more as we hear it.
