Michael

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Michael

PG-13

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2h 10m

Biography

Drama

Music

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Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

290 Reviews

97%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Verified Ratings

MICHAEL is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson's life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.

Critics Consensus

While Jaafar Jackson's smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, this musical biopic mostly plays like a "greatest hits" album that could've benefitted from including liner notes to give actual insight into the icon.

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Audience Says

Boosted by stellar performances, most notably Jaafar Jackson’s breakout turn, Michael tops the charts and has fans moonwalking across the globe.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

2d

Michael is a work with high production values whose ability to entertain makes it susceptible to being watched several times, even though its superficiality extends to other areas. [Full review in Spanish]

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Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

3d

2.5/4

You feel his presence, joy and music. Does the footage push biofilm genre boundaries? No.

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

May 6

A hokey, corny, safe, clichéd, sanitized look at Michael Jackson.

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DJ BenHaMeen

For All Nerds Podcast

5h

3/5

Michael does it's best to moonwalk hard through a greatest hits of his career, and Colman Domingo shines like a diamond as always.

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Harmony Holiday

4Columns

May 29

The biopic is an inherently imperious and extractive genre that mostly fails to deliver plots worthy of their subjects. This one leans into that ritual of gaudy shorthand, crisis-proofing itself in advance.

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John Odette

Pop Culture Leftovers

May 27

Michael is the type of film that markets itself as the latest in the trendy wave of biopics but sidesteps deep introspection for crowd-pleasing sequences. This is not a study, but a celebration.

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John

2h

A nice escape from "now" to happier times. They weren't perfect times, but they were definitely happier times. Definitely go see it!

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Keshia

6h

Everything about this movie was so good. I wish there could be a part 2.

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Shalonda B

7h

Jaafar Jackson was absolutely amazing & he nailed some of the most difficult choreography EVER! It was so cool to go down memory lane with moments my husband & I remember when they actually happened, while enjoying it with our 10 yr old niece. The 3 of us danced the whole way through! We LOVED Michael!

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Diane G

7h

Loved every minute of it! Now I’m obsessed!😩

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LC

16h

I was NOT expecting such a spectacular recreated depiction of Michael’s singing and dancing…I mean, it felt like I saw the best rehearsals, recordings and concerts of his from the front row, from ABC-123 through all the hits that he made thereafter. Great music movie.

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Kyrstin

16h

It was very authentic and I loved it.

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Antoine Fuqua

Director

Jaafar Jackson

Michael Jackson

Miles Teller

John Branca

Colman Domingo

Joe Jackson

Nia Long

Katherine Jackson

Jayden Harville

Young Jermaine Jackson

Michael: Music Clip - Billie Jean

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See 'Michael' on the Big Screen!

0:26

Michael: Featurette - Before the Big Screen

1:47

Michael: Final Trailer

1:00

The Michael Cast Reveal Their Favorite Scenes

1:22

Colman Domingo on Playing Joe Jackson

1:06

Michael: Featurette – A Conversation with Jaafar Jackson

1:50

Jaafar on Getting the Role of Michael Jackson

1:09

Recreating the Thriller Music Video

1:02

Michael: Teaser - Early Access Event

1:15

Antoine Fuqua & the 'Michael' Cast on Familial Bonds and Capturing Michael Jackson's Essence on Film

16:57

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Synopsis

MICHAEL is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson's life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Producer: Graham King, John Branca, John McClain
Screenwriter: John Logan
Distributor: Lionsgate
Production Co: GK Films
Rating: PG-13 (Smoking|Language|Some Thematic Material)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 24, 2026, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA): $184.2M
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)