Michael

Play trailer

1:00

Michael

PG-13

Apr 2026

2h 7m

Biography

Drama

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

292 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.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Says

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

Read Audience Reviews

Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

6d

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]

Go to Full Review

Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

Jun 2

2.5/4

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

Go to Full Review

Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

May 6

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

Go to Full Review

Mini Anthikad-Chhibber

The Hindu

10h

By ending the biopic with ‘Bad’, Antoine Fuqua delivers a disappointing look at the life of the King of Pop, revealing little about the person behind the explosive music and electric dance numbers, who is brilliantly brought to life by Jaafar Jackson

Go to Full Review

Rene Sanchez

Cine Sin Fronteras

17h

2/4

Although it dazzles with its electrifying musical numbers and a star-making performance from Jaafar Jackson, Michael feels more like a glossy tribute than a revealing portrait of the "King of Pop". [Full Review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

DJ BenHaMeen

For All Nerds Podcast

4d

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Cailyn

31m

Amazing!!! This movie was so good!! I just love Michael Jackson!

See more

mark

55m

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie. very entertaining! Would like to see it again.

See more

James T

1h

Solid. A true representation of. A great man.

See more

joe

1h

Great music and choreography

See more

B

1h

It was an excellent movie. There are moments that you feel youre truly watching Michael Jackson. The story is incredible and honestly brings you to tears at times. If youre an MJ fan I highly recommend giving it a watch. I felt it truly helped preserve his legacy.

See more

GW

2h

One of the best movies I've seen in a long time

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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

View more videos

Elvis

77%

94%

Elvis

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Elvis

A Complete Unknown

82%

95%

A Complete Unknown

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Complete Unknown

Straight Outta Compton

89%

91%

Straight Outta Compton

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Straight Outta Compton

Girl You Know It's True

85%

89%

Girl You Know It's True

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Girl You Know It's True

Dreamin' Wild

90%

65%

Dreamin' Wild

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Dreamin' Wild

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Weekend Box Office: The Devil Wears Prada 2 Wins Battle of the Sequels Against Mortal Kombat II

Weekend Box Office: The Devil Wears Prada 2 Shines With $77 Million Weekend

Audience Says: Michael Is Pure Entertainment for MJ Fans

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

View more videos

View more photos

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)