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Michael Jackson biopic heads to streaming after $1bn cinema haul
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" has completed its cinema run and will move to streaming on Starz from 10 August, capping a theatrical release that grossed more than $1 billion worldwide and made it one of 2026's biggest box office successes. The scale of that success has drawn attention to Lionsgate for a possible sequel, with critics suggesting the film could become the first music biopic to spawn a franchise, though no follow-up has been formally confirmed.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, the film traces Michael Jackson's life from his childhood in the Jackson 5 through to his "Bad" tour in the late 1980s. It stars the singer's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his film debut as the title role, with Juliano Valdi playing him as a child, alongside a supporting cast including Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham and Larenz Tate. Lionsgate first announced the project in February 2022, with Fuqua and Jaafar Jackson attached the following year, making for a four-year development process ahead of its April 2026 theatrical release.
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In short
- "Michael" streams on Starz from 10 August after $1bn cinema run
- Jaafar Jackson, the singer's nephew, stars in the title role
- Film's success has sparked talk of a possible sequel
How this story developed
- 4 months ago Lionsgate confirmed it has moved a sequel into active development, turning earlier speculation about a possible follow-up into a concrete next step ahead of the film's 10 August streaming debut on Starz.
- 4 months ago The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" wrapped its theatrical run having earned over $1 billion worldwide, positioning it as one of 2026's top-grossing films ahead of its 10 August move to Starz, with Lionsgate facing speculation over a possible franchise sequel that had yet to be officially greenlit.
Explained simply
Michael Jackson remains one of the most commercially significant figures in music history, and "Michael" is a big-budget biopic dramatising his life, from his early years performing with his brothers in the Jackson 5 through to the height of his solo stardom in the late 1980s. Lionsgate first announced the project in 2022, and it took more than four years to reach cinemas, eventually arriving in April 2026.
The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by John Logan, and stars Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's real nephew, in the lead role, with Juliano Valdi playing him as a child. The supporting cast includes established names such as Colman Domingo, Miles Teller and Nia Long. Its theatrical run proved highly lucrative, taking more than $1 billion at the global box office and ranking among the year's top-performing films.
That success has led Lionsgate to begin developing a sequel, a move some commentators have described as unusual for a biopic, since films of this kind rarely spawn ongoing franchises. This context matters for understanding why the film's move to streaming, and its wider commercial trajectory, is being closely watched by the industry.
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Originally published by Variety as “‘Michael’ Sets Streaming Release Date After Billion-Dollar Box Office Run”.