By Tyler Banark

The official trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael has been released. One of the most evident things we’ve seen and heard so far in the trailers is how involved the Jackson family has been in this movie. I don’t blame them for wanting to ensure Michael’s story is as truthful as possible, and having his nephew Jaafar play him is a bold choice. Take that how you will, whether it be nepotism or the best fit, but it’ll be interesting to see if Jaafar Jackson is a genuinely strong talent and this is his breakout moment, or if he’s better off being an impersonator of his famed late uncle. 

Aside from Jackson, the only other actor looking to make an impression on audiences is Colman Domingo as the family patriarch Joe Jackson. He has proven he can play both sides of the coin, playing a cheerful protagonist and a cold villain. Here, he’s taking on the form of the latter. I’m convinced now that Domingo is going to do well with the part regardless of how the rest of the movie is. I say that lightly because the production of this film has stirred headlines. Ranging from the politics surrounding the King of Pop in today’s world, or the messy behind-the-scenes work that led to production reshoots last summer, I fear there’s a large margin for Michael to be a possible swing and a miss this April.

Add all of that on top of who else is helming this movie: Antoine Fuqua and Graham King. These two filmmakers aren’t necessarily bad people, but have had recent losing streaks worth mentioning. Fuqua hasn’t had an all-around critical and financial hit in at least 20 years. Some may argue about his Equalizer trilogy with Denzel Washington, but even then, critics and audiences were divided. Meanwhile, both trailers have labeled King as “the producer of Bohemian Rhapsody.” You know, the 2018 Queen biopic that people either loved or hated, which also had a tumultuous shoot.  Depending on who you ask, viewers of that film have either moved on or are still reeling from how bad and undeserving it was for all the awards-season love it received. My personal thoughts on the movie don’t matter here, but for Michael, people may be skeptical going in.

Furthermore, the key thing to watch with Michael is how much it’ll draw people in to see it. In 2026, I don’t know how many MJ fans there will be who are willing to go to the theater to see this movie. After all, it’s been 17 years since his death, and Jackson and his family haven’t been a popular commodity in the pop culture zeitgeist since then. Add the noise the Leaving Neverland docuseries raised in 2019, and it still raises questions about how much traction this movie will get. I’m still planning to see this movie, but there are many question marks around it. Regardless, Michael will be a conversation starter when it hits theaters in April, and the new trailer further cements that.