Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group chairman, Adam Fogelson, has given investors an update on the sequel to Michael, the studio's Michael Jackson biopic, saying production is expected to begin towards the end of 2026 or in early 2027. Speaking on a Q1 earnings call, Fogelson estimated a release window of late 2027 to the first half of 2028, though he stressed the studio was "not ready to announce everything" just yet. The update comes as Michael became Lionsgate's highest-grossing film, taking over $1 billion worldwide, giving the studio strong commercial incentive to move quickly on a follow-up.

Fogelson said several sequences already filmed for the first instalment, particularly large musical numbers, are likely to be reused in the sequel, though the studio has not yet settled on a budget. The original film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King, was delayed from November 2025 to April 2026 after the Jackson estate objected to the inclusion of one of the singer's accusers, prompting roughly $50 million of reshoots covered by the estate. Universal, which handled foreign distribution in most territories, contributed heavily to the film's $643.7 million international box office, and Fogelson noted Lionsgate views film profitability over a ten-year cycle, expecting Michael to have "a long tail."