Michael Jackson Biopic, Michael, Delayed Again To 2026; Could “Absolutely” Be Split In Two

It seems Lionsgate is moving their Michael Jackson biopic – entitled Michael – off their 2025 release slate again, with word from their CEO that the rumoured move is now official and that the studio IS exploring cutting the film into two films.

Deadline is reporting that during Lionsgate‘s Q4 2025 earnings call, CEO Jon Feltheimer shared an update on the film starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, who makes his screen debut in the project.

“In regard to our Michael Jackson biopic, we’re excited about the 3½ hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, and we will be announcing a definitive release strategy & timing in the next few weeks… I would note that it is likely we will move ‘Michael’ out of the fiscal year, which will impact fiscal ’26 financial results but will bolster an already strong fiscal ’27 slate.”

This fiscal year will end on March 31st, 2026, which would indicate that the film/s would probably make a release date after April 2026, if not well into 2026 for awards season contention again. It was originally set for release in April 2025 before being pushed to October 2025.

Now, according to Variety, the film could be split into two:

“At the end, when you look at the music library, when you look at what he was able to deliver in terms of contributions of music and to art, whether or not that can be fit into one movie comfortablly or not is a question that we are absolutely asking,” said Lionsgate’s film chief Adam Fogelson on the same call.

Reportedly made for around $155million, the film also stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long as family heads Joe and Katherine Jackson, while Miles Teller will play Jackson’s attorney and advisor John Branca. Larenz Tate will star as Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, while Laura Harrier will play portray pioneering female music executive Suzanne de Passe and Kat Graham will appear as the legendary Diana Ross.

Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King is behind the film, which Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer films) is directing. The film was already rumoured to be undergoing heavy reshoots due to possible legal concerns.

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Scott J. Davis

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Editor of The People's Movies for a year and a half, Scott has over 13 years of experience as a film writer and critic, writing for such sites as Digital Spy, Sci-Fi Now, Yahoo Movies UK, Flickering Myth, and more. He is also a retired interviewer and red carpet reporter for HeyUGuys since 2016, where he has attended hundreds of junkets and premieres, interviewing a range of talent from Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lawrence, Samuel L. Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese, Jim Carrey, Emily Blunt and many more.

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