The Michael Jackson biopic is once again delayed

The movie will have Jaafar Jackson play the singer, but Lionsgate has now revealed that the movie will not come out in 2025 as planned. 

Variety says that it will now come out after April 1, 2026. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer gave the news during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call. 

“We’re excited about the three-and-a-half hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua for our Michael Jackson biopic,” he said in a statement. “We will be announcing a definitive release strategy and timing in the next few weeks.” 

“It is likely that we will move ‘Michael’ out of the fiscal year. This will have an effect on the financial results for fiscal year ’26 but will make an already strong fiscal year 2027 slate even stronger.”

The biopic stars Jaafar Jackson, who is 27 years old and the late singer’s nephew. It is his first big acting role. 

Lionsgate’s 2023 CinemaCon presentation was built around “Michael,” but no video from the movie was shown this year. The movie was set to come out for the first time on October 3, 2025. 

But last month, Variety said the project might be split into two parts, which added to the delay.

“Michael” was filmed mostly in May 2024, but the story, which was written by John Logan, is currently being changed in preparation for planned reshoots. 

It is said that the production will cost around $155 million.

Colman Domingo, 54, and Nia Long, 53, play Michael Jackson’s parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson, in the movie. Jaafar is also in the group. 

John Branca, the artist’s longtime lawyer and adviser, is played by 37-year-old Miles Teller. 

Also, Larenz Tate, 48, will play Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, and Laura Harrier, 34, will play Suzanne de Passe, a groundbreaking female music executive. 

35-year-old Kat Graham plays Diana Ross.

Jessica Sula, 28, plays La Toya Jackson, Liv Symone, 54, plays Gladys Knight, Kevin Shinick, 54, plays Dick Clark, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, 36, plays Quincy Jones, and the rest of the group is made up of older and younger actors. 

Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson worked together on the well-known records Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987).