The official Michael Jackson trailer has arrived, offering the most revealing look yet from director Antoine Fuqua’s (Training Day, The Equalizer) long-gestating Michael Jackson biopic. Watch the trailer above and read about Jackson’s early rise, the pressures behind the spotlight, and the story the film aims to tell.
Rise shaped by talent, pressure and control
The trailer depicts Michael as an origin story rooted in both extraordinary talent and constant expectations. The film charts Jackson’s journey from genius child performer with the Jackson 5 to solo artist driven by ambition, discipline, and an almost obsessive pursuit of perfection. While the music is front and center, the trailer doesn’t shy away from the forces shaping him behind the scenes. Jaafar Jackson plays Michael, making his feature film debut as his late uncle. He is the son of Michael’s older brother and former Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson.
A key element that runs through the film is Jackson’s relationship with his father and manager Joe Jackson, played by Coleman Domingo (Sing Sing). Moments of creative tension and control exist alongside rehearsals, recording sessions, and performances, suggesting a portrait shaped by conflict as well as triumph.
“I need to think about it,” Michael says at one moment in the trailer. His father replied, “I taught him how to think.” Michael’s mother, Katherine Jackson (played by Nia Long), looks on worriedly.
Recreate iconic moments at scale
Visually, the trailer leans into recognizable milestones from Jackson’s early solo career. Fragments of his studio work with Quincy Jones, his first moonwalk, his explosion of Thriller-era fame, and the physical toll of superstardom are woven into a fast-moving montage that balances spectacle and suspense. Jaafar is positioned as an emotional anchor, and the film emphasizes performance and presence – his movement, voice, and body language – rather than outright imitation.
Cast, creative and release details
In addition to Jaafar Jackson, the film also stars Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Laura Harrier as music executive Suzanne de Passe, Giuliano Crews Vardi as young Michael, Miles Teller as lawyer John Branca, and Coleman Domingo as Joe Jackson. The film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator, Skyfall, The Aviator) and produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Departed).
Michael will be released in Australian cinemas on April 23rd and in US cinemas on April 24th.
universal pictures
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