In an era where movies can shape music myths and legends, it was inevitable that the King of Pop himself would get the spotlight. Michael Jackson’s upcoming biopic, Michael, has been one of the most anticipated of all time. Even more so than Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rocketman. Fans of the man and the genre want to see the entire picture of his life, career, and revolutionary cultural moments. However, much like Elvis, viewers also have one question: how accurate will it be?
There’s no contesting the King’s status in the culture. He’s a pop superstar whose musical performances and social contributions transcend generations. Bluntly put, we’re talking about one of the most prolific musicians ever, period. At the same time, there’s no contesting the controversies that unfortunately accompany his name. From widely known childhood trauma to sexual abuse allegations in his adulthood, there are large sections of Jackson’s life that many want shown respectfully and accurately.
A Record-Breaking Debut
Controversies aside, the official teaser release for Michael was nothing short of groundbreaking. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer, etc.), Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars as the titular icon and will be released on April 24, 2026. According to Billboard, the trailer amassed a whopping 116 million views in its first day, making it the most-viewed music biopic trailer in history. Surpassing both previous records set by Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour documentary and Bob Marley’s One Love biopic, you can expect nothing less from one of the greatest ever to grace a concert stage.
It made clear waves across social media as well. Younger and older generations alike flocked to Twitter to share their hype. The teaser’s release was a monumental occasion, especially following a rocky behind-the-scenes production. In a report by The Guardian, the film finished shooting in May 2024 with a scheduled release of April 2025. However, it was eventually pushed back multiple times due to reshoots. That waiting period only intensified our anticipation.
A Life in One Sitting
Despite the excitement, there was fan anxiety that came with it. How can they fit an entire lifetime, let alone one as dense as Jackson’s, into one sitting? Such is the nature of most biopics. Producers adjust key details to create a more cinematic experience. They omit certain moments to fit within a specific runtime. But fan expectations seem to be much higher this time around. According to the official Grammys website, a small list of his musical accomplishments includes winning eight Grammys in one night, debuting the moonwalk, being the first artist to be in the Billboard Top 10 within five different decades, and much more. With a figure as important as Jackson, you can’t cut corners, and you must cover all bases.
Especially given his significance not only as a generational musical talent, but a Black one at that. Beyond the tunes, he pushed social boundaries and represented the unrecognized. To be one of the most global pop stars of the twentieth century and stand tall on your politics and values is a trait that everyone admired.
The Man in the Mirror
Amidst all these records, accomplishments, and moments, you can’t just represent the legend. You also have to show the man. And while the Jackson legacy came with a lot of admiration, it also brought its share of controversy and tragedy.
To start, Jackson’s troubled childhood was no secret. In a famous 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey (currently the most-watched TV interview of all time), Jackson detailed the physical and emotional abuse he experienced from his father, Joe Jackson (played by Colman Domingo in the film). He talks about having childhood experiences, such as playing outside, being stripped away from him due to his time spent in recording studios. Yet, the shots of his childhood in the trailer appear notably warm and cozy. Only the movie’s release will determine if this was a safe marketing tactic or a sanitizing of events.
The Ugly
But there’s a larger, decades-old elephant in the room: his allegations of sexual abuse against children. Jackson’s timeline of alleged sexual misconduct is a rabbit hole of bombshell accusations, retracted statements, and adamant denials. Some of the most damning pieces against him came in the form of documentaries.
According to an NPR timeline of events, journalist Martin Bashir interviewed Jackson on Living With Michael Jackson in February 2003. It was a documentary that showed footage of Jackson being strangely intimate with a young teen. Not in any sexual manner, but, rather, cradling and sharing a bed with him. Despite denials of and statements against anything inappropriate, the footage was enough to start an investigation. Just nine months later, police raided Jackson’s Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara and arrested him on child molestation charges. After a nearly two-year trial, the court acquitted him of all charges.
But those allegations stain the Jackson legacy to this day. Now, the words “predator” and “pedophile” sit next to “global sensation” and “greatest entertainer of all time.” And while he was found “not guilty,” many critics still believe the alleged victims and spread that accusation. According to the earlier Guardian article, director Dan Reed, who created the 2019 docuseries Leaving Neverland that accused Jackson of being a serial child sexual abuser, read early script drafts for Michael and called it “startlingly disingenuous” for seemingly downplaying alleged accusers.
Will ‘Michael’ Be The Exception?
In all fairness, it’s hard to market your biopic with a trailer filled with controversies or, at best, uninteresting details. Take Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, for example. In the film, Presley (Austin Butler) and renowned guitarist/songwriter B.B. King (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) are shown hanging out like close friends. However, in a USA Today article that fact-checked the movie, they note that Presley and King were more akin to acquaintances than true friends, according to journalist and expert Alanna Nash. While not accurate, it made for more glamorous, heartfelt cinema. Will Michael take the same approach?
It’s hard to say right now. In the Guardian article, producer Graham King says, “Michael’s life was complicated…I look to humanise but not sanitise and present the most compelling, unbiased story I can capture….” That sentiment alone gives hope to fans who want to see Jackson’s full, unadulterated devotion, accomplishments, and legacy on screen. At the same time, the timeline of allegations is an inevitable hurdle. It’s difficult to present that information in a way that satisfies both sides of the fence. However, the documented facts of history have been laid out, and it’s up to Fuqua and his team to decide how they want to reframe a legacy.
The higher-ups at Lionsgate recently confirmed that they plan to split Jackson’s story between two movies, according to The Hollywood Reporter. There’s no telling if the legend of the King of Pop will continue to moonwalk to glory or fall deeper into infamy.
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