The Michael Jackson Biopic Trailer Has Broken the Internet

The first trailer for Michael, the upcoming biopic on Michael Jackson, has officially made history.

Within hours of its release, the preview racked up over 116 million views worldwide — making it the most-watched musical biopic trailer ever. That’s more than Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, or Rocketman — and a reminder that even fifteen years after his death, Michael Jackson still has the world watching.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Emancipation) and produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), Michael promises to chronicle the artist’s meteoric rise, legendary performances, and the darker shadows that trailed him. The film stars Jaafar Jackson — Michael’s own nephew — in what’s already being called an uncanny, goosebump-inducing portrayal of his uncle. Rounding out the cast are Oscar nominee Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as attorney John Branca.

The early response has been wild. Lionsgate exec Adam Fogelson revealed that the studio is already toying with the idea of expanding Michael into more than one film. Translation: this might just be the start of a multi-film saga tracing Jackson’s complex, controversial legacy.

The movie hasn’t escaped scrutiny, though. Dan Reed, director of Leaving Neverland, slammed the project, accusing it of glorifying a man he continues to label a predator. Reed claims to have read a draft of the script, alleging that it sanitises the late pop star’s relationships with children. His criticism reignites an old, uncomfortable conversation about how Hollywood frames flawed legends — and whether audiences even want their heroes complicated on screen.

Michael (2025)YouTube

But controversy has always been part of the Michael Jackson mythos — and perhaps part of the allure. Between the moonwalks, the glove, and the decades of speculation, Jackson remains one of pop culture’s most enigmatic figures. If early reactions to Jaafar Jackson’s performance are any indication, Michael may be the closest we’ve come to seeing the man behind the myth — filtered through a lens that’s equal parts reverence and risk.

Slated for release on April 24, 2026, Michael looks ready to do what Jackson did best: dominate the charts, set records, and get the whole world talking. Whether it’s a tribute or a reckoning — or both — one thing’s clear: no one moves culture quite like Michael Jackson, not even fifteen years after his death.