Michael, the biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as his uncle Michael Jackson, premiered on April 24, 2026, and a sequel is already being discussed depending on how the film performs at the box office.
Lionsgate Says There Is More Story to Tell
Lionsgate film chair Adam Fogelson made the studio’s position clear at the movie’s premiere. “We absolutely have more story to tell. We have prepared for that moment. And if the audience reinforces that they’re ready for more, we’re prepared to give it to them sooner rather than later,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
A title card appearing at the end of the film as the credits roll reads: “His Story Continues.” According to an insider cited by The Hollywood Reporter, the note was added about a month before release when producers and filmmakers realised how successful the film could be commercially.
The $700 Million Target
Variety reported in April 2026 that a sequel would be greenlit if Michael grosses $700 million worldwide. Director Antoine Fuqua confirmed he would be on board.
“There’s the whole Neverland of it all, there’s the Super Bowl, some of that stuff we have. So we’ll see how things go at the box office,” Fuqua said in an interview with BlackTree TV.
A source confirmed that no script has been written yet and a final decision would not be made until after the premiere.
Why the Third Act Was Cut
Legal issues played a significant role in shaping the original film. While Michael was originally set to address the 1993 lawsuit in which a 13-year-old boy accused Jackson of molestation, a clause discovered in January 2025 in the singer’s settlement agreement barred any depiction or mention of the accuser in film or television.
The entire third act of the movie was removed as a result. Director Fuqua had to retool the film to focus instead on Michael’s tense relationship with his father Joe Jackson during his rising solo career.
What a Sequel Could Cover
The studio reportedly believes that around 30 percent of the footage from the removed third act could be used in a sequel, including a police raid on Michael’s Neverland Ranch. Fuqua told The New Yorker in April 2026 that the footage showed the singer being treated in a deeply dehumanising way during the raid.
Other potential territory for a sequel includes the Neverland years and Michael’s Super Bowl performance, both of which Fuqua referenced as stories still waiting to be told.
Jaafar Jackson on the Role
Jaafar Jackson, who plays his uncle in the film, described the role as the honor of a lifetime in an April 2026 interview with Vogue. The biopic has been in development since 2019 and was delayed by a year due to the legal complications surrounding the 1993 lawsuit.
Whether a sequel moves forward now rests entirely on how audiences respond at the box office.
Photo: Lionsgate
