Michael: The $200 Million Biopic That Skipped the Controversy

The film *Michael* opened in U.S. theaters on April 24 2026, earning $97 million domestically and $217 million worldwide in its first weekend. The debut set the all-time opening record for a music biopic and became Lionsgate’s biggest domestic launch since 2015. Audience polling gave the picture an A- grade on CinemaScore and a 97 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while critical aggregators recorded a 40 percent approval rating.

Hollywood Reporter

The Jackson estate, which controls the singer’s music and likeness, required a clause in a 1990s settlement with accuser Jordan Chandler that barred any depiction of the allegation. When the original third act included a reenactment of the 1993 police raid on Neverland Ranch, the clause forced the studio to discard the sequence and conduct $50 million of reshoots. The total production cost rose to roughly $200 million, a figure the estate deemed acceptable to protect the film’s narrative focus.

Wired Magazine

Antoine Fuqua directed the project; Graham King produced it for Lionsgate, with Universal handling international distribution. Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew, performed the title role. The on-screen parents were portrayed by Colman Domingo (Joseph Jackson) and Nia Long (Katherine Jackson). John Logan supplied the screenplay, and John Branca, a longtime Jackson attorney, appears as a character played by Miles Teller.

Wired Magazine

• 1993 – Settlement with Jordan Chandler includes non-depiction clause.

Deadline Hollywood

• 2009 – Michael Jackson dies; estate valued at $2 billion.

The new Michael Jackson movie reveals nothing about who he was inside

• Early 2026 – Principal photography completed; original third act includes abuse storyline.

Wired Magazine

• April 2026 – Legal review triggers reshoots; film’s release date set for April 24.

Deadline Hollywood

• Budget: ? $200 million (including $50 million reshoot cost).

Hollywood Reporter

• Opening weekend: $97 million (U.S.), $217 million (global).

Hollywood Reporter

• Audience scores: 97 % (Rotten Tomatoes), A- (CinemaScore), 90 %+ (PostTrak).

Hollywood Reporter

• Critical score: 40 % (Rotten Tomatoes).

Hollywood Reporter

Fuqua said his aim was to “humanize Michael” and present his early career without “salacious” material. Paris Jackson posted on Instagram that the movie “panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy.” Janet Jackson declined participation and reportedly criticized the performances and makeup. The estate confirmed that the settlement clause forced the removal of the third-act material.

New Yorker

Critics noted the film’s omission of the 1990s and 2000s allegations, describing it as a “sanitized” celebration. Documentary filmmaker Dan Reed argued that “people don’t care that he was a child molester,” highlighting the broader cultural debate. The Guardian’s commentary warned that “a life cannot be understood in halves.”

Vanity Fair

Sources differ on whether Joseph Jackson called Michael “Big Nose.” The New York Times fact-check cites the brothers as the origin, while other accounts attribute the nickname to the father. Reports also vary on the exact language Joseph used to describe his discipline of Michael, with some quoting “I whipped him with a switch and a belt” and others noting his denial of the term “beat.”

New York Times

• “I wanted to humanize Michael. I wanted people to get to know him: How eccentric he was, how he was as a young man.” — Antoine Fuqua, Director

Deadline Hollywood

• “People don’t care that he was a child molester.” — Dan Reed, Documentary filmmaker

Vanity Fair

• “I never beat him — you beat somebody with a stick.” — Joseph Jackson, Father

New York Times

• “The film’s entire draw is that its lead actor promises to be a visual and kinetic doppelganger of his dead uncle.” — Soraya Nadia McDonald, Cultural critic

The new Michael Jackson movie reveals nothing about who he was inside

• “Paris said on Instagram that the movie ‘panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy.’” — Paris Jackson, Daughter

New Yorker

Producers have indicated that footage from the discarded third act may be used in a sequel that would address the later controversies. The Jackson estate continues to monetize the singer’s catalog through concerts, merchandise, and future screen projects, suggesting additional biographical releases are likely.

Wired Magazine