Michael

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Michael

PG-13

Apr 2026

2h 7m

Biography

Drama

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

38%

Tomatometer

303 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.

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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

Jun 3

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

Jun 2

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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Monita Roy Mohan

Stereo Geeks (Podcast)

5d

4.5

This film was brilliantly put together with emotional heft and plenty of nostalgic nods to the great music and performances that made Jackson the legend he is. It pulls it off with aplomb.

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Beau Behan

Patch.com

Jul 18

The film’s reverence becomes its limitation, resulting in a portrait that dazzles on the surface but avoids the complexities that might have made it truly illuminating.

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Luca Mehta

ForReel Movie News And Reviews

Jul 15

1.5/5

"The final boss of all musical biopics, Michael has no interest in peeking behind the King of Pop’s curtain."

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Bryan R

6h

Excellent retelling of a Legend! A nostalgic ride through my childhood and introspective look into the trauma that created Michael.

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shaiders

18h

Great fan fare. Don’t expect to get all the controversy of his career but a must watch for a lover of music.

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Noah

1d

It felt like your typical music biopic, showed highlights of his career makeing it feel like you were trying at his concert, and explored who he was as a person. Still, it never fully committed to that deeper side of his story. The film touches on his struggles with his father, but mostly stays at the surface level rather than truly diving into the complexities of his life.

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Alex Dixon

2d

Good job Javar. still weird with no Janet but I understand why.

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Mohit

2d

Fun movie, with nostalgic music, basically just music videos. Wish they went more into the making of the music than they did.

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Chris

2d

Amazing. Must see. Love that they kept it focused on his struggle to break free from the control of his father & create his own style & music.

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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

0:59

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Michael: Exclusive Featurette - Music and Motion

1:00

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

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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
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 9, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA): $184.2M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)