I’ve covered enough biopics in my time to know when a project’s cursed. Remember “Bohemian Rhapsody”? That one swapped directors mid-stream and still raked in over $900 million. “Rocketman” danced around Elton’s demons with flair. But “Michael,” the Antoine Fuqua-helmed take on the King of Pop—man, this one’s been a thriller in all the wrong ways.
Word came down yesterday from Puck’s Matt Belloni: reshoots quietly wrapped last month, and what’s left is a film that clocks out right at Jackson’s 1980s ascent to godhood. Everything after? The scandals, the fall from grace, those two weeks of footage shot at Neverland Ranch—gone. Scrapped due to a rights dust-up with one of Jackson’s accusers. It’s like they filmed the moonwalk but cut the trial.
Producer Graham King isn’t throwing in the towel. He’s eyeing a sequel to cover the “King of Pop” era, bringing back Jaafar Jackson (Michael’s nephew, nailing the role from what insiders whisper), Colman Domingo, and Miles Teller. But here’s the kicker: that follow-up only greenlights if this truncated version pops at the box office come April 24, 2026. Lionsgate handles domestic, Universal international—they’re still all-in, delays be damned.
Back when things were sunnier, Fuqua had a near-four-hour cut, primed to split like “Wicked” into an event duo. Now, two hours of that might rot in a vault if tracking tanks. The Jackson estate’s footing the bill for this mess, too. Ouch.
The first real test? That trailer hits in November 2025, piggybacking on “Wicked: For Good” in theaters November 21. How it lands could make or break the whole shebang. Will audiences bite for a half-told tale, or demand the full monty?
It’s a gamble that reminds me of those old studio epics—think “Cleopatra,” ballooning budgets and all. But in today’s market, with streaming eating theatrical alive, who knows if partial biopics fly. Fuqua’s got the chops; Logan’s script was ambitious. Yet here we are, with a film that’s finished… sort of.
What Stands Out in the ‘Michael’ Production Drama
The Truncated Tale: Legal battles forced a rethink, axing post-1980s content and leaving the film focused solely on Jackson’s early stardom—potentially dooming unseen footage to obscurity.
Sequel on the Line: A follow-up exploring later years depends entirely on box office success, with the cast ready but the estate shouldering risks if it flops.
Trailer Tease Ahead: Dropping alongside ‘Wicked: For Good’ this November, the promo will gauge public interest and hint at the visual style Fuqua’s bringing to Jackson’s iconic moves.
Industry Bets Big: Despite chaos, Lionsgate and Universal push forward with an April 2026 release, aiming to turn controversy into curiosity-driven turnout.
Echoes of Past Biopics: This saga mirrors troubled hits like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ where behind-the-scenes turmoil didn’t stop massive earnings—could ‘Michael’ follow suit?
What do you think—will half a biopic satisfy, or is this setup for disappointment? Drop your take in the comments, share with fellow film buffs, and keep an eye on Filmofilia for trailer breakdowns come November.
