The highly anticipated biopic about Michael Jackson has been delayed by six months, pushing its release from April 18, 2025, to October 3, 2025, Lionsgate confirmed.
The film, titled Michael, casts Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, portraying his uncle’s rise from a child star with the Jackson 5 to his superstar status in the music industry, up until his final days before his death in 2009.
Lionsgate’s decision to reschedule the launch to fall suggests a strategic move in positioning the film as an awards season contender, a tactic commonly seen in films aimed at nominations.
Set to hit theaters alongside Roofman, a crime thriller starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, Michael will also arrive a week prior to Disney’s sci-fi epic Tron: Ares, starring Jared Leto.
The timing reflects heightened competition for both box office earnings and potential honors on the awards circuit.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, best known for his work on Training Day, the movie will feature performances from Colman Domingo as family patriarch Joe Jackson, Nia Long as matriarch Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as Michael’s longtime manager John Branca.
The script, penned by renowned screenwriter John Logan of Skyfall and Gladiator fame, aims to capture pivotal moments throughout Jackson’s life.
Fuqua, who shared an exclusive preview of footage at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, has expressed a personal connection to the project.
“Michael was a big influence on my career,” Fuqua said, explaining his motivation for taking on the project. “He was an incredible artist and a human being, and we’re exploring that.”
The film is expected to span a substantial runtime and will feature a musical catalog of 30 of Jackson’s hits, that’s integral to capturing the essence of the Thriller legend’s story.
Co-produced by John Branca alongside Graham King, who took Bohemian Rhapsody to box-office success, Michael carries certain expectations of both critical and commercial acclaim.