The lights in the theater dimmed, the audience went silent and anticipation rose as the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the room. The screen came to life, and voices chanting a familiar name faded in from the distance. The moment had finally arrived. On April 24, 2026, a biopic that would destroy several records within sight hit the box office. Depicting the rise of the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson, the film “Michael” would raise a new generation of “Moonwalkers”.
The film follows the chronological order of M. Jackson’s career. Setting the scene in Gary, IN, 1966, the biopic opens with the storyline of his upbringing and rise to fame. Filmed inside M. Jackson’s real childhood home, fans got a glimpse of what forming the famous band, the Jackson Five, looked like. The long hours, the loss of childhood, the dedication and the commitment displayed on screen touched fans all over the world.
The biopic then explores M. Jackson’s inner desire to create his own sound. An inside look at the creation of his album, “Off the Wall” (1979), orchestrated a magical connection between the cast and the audience. After the release of the album, fans followed his journey over the next decade, including glimpses into the making of his albums “Thriller” (1982) and “Bad” (1987). Additionally, many moments throughout M. Jackson’s career that had initially gone unnoticed by the public gained significance after the biopic’s revelations about his life experiences.
M. Jackson lived almost his entire life in the spotlight. To the public, he was an untouchable superstar, but inside, he was a disciplined, dedicated and kind person who strove to make the world a better place. “Michael” spent a good portion of time explaining to viewers the reasoning behind M. Jackson’s career decisions alongside the false assumptions that were made of him, including the allegation that he bleached his skin. From an early age, M. Jackson struggled with a skin disease known as vitiligo, which destroys skin pigmentation. The public was so quick to judge M. Jackson for things completely out of his control. This biopic did a wonderful job explaining to viewers who M. Jackson was as a person, specifically the heart and passion he put into his career. To portray such a talented artist and convey his magnetic personality would take immense skill; luckily for the producers, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
“Michael” featured one of the most talented and hardworking casts in the entertainment industry. Casting an actor to play M. Jackson was no small task. After receiving the rights to the movie, one of the producers, Graham King, reached out to M. Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, to ask if he had any interest in the role. Having no prior acting experience, J. Jackson took time to consider whether he could pull off the role. After a few weeks, he sent a voice note to King in which he impersonated his uncle, M. Jackson, talking and singing. The next day, J. Jackson began working with an acting coach and was fully committed to the audition process. After two years of learning to dance, sing, and talk like his uncle, J. Jackson was officially cast and began even more rehearsals to perfect his portrayal.
Young M. Jackson was played by the rising star Juliano Valdi, who brilliantly encapsulated M. Jackson during the early years of his career. Colman Domingo was cast as Joseph Jackson, M. Jackson’s father, and portrayed the character so well that he was almost unrecognizable in scenes. Alongside him, the talented actress Nia Long was cast as M. Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson. She did a beautiful job portraying the loving, kindhearted woman who deeply cared for M. Jackson. The teamwork and dedication of these incredible actors were consistent throughout the entire film. Their passion and commitment shone through the screen, impacting fans worldwide.
Portraying M. Jackson on the big screen took years of preparation. To fully immerse himself in M. Jackson’s life, J. Jackson moved back into M. Jackson’s Hayvenhurst house, where J. Jackson grew up. He set up M. Jackson’s old rehearsal room and practiced for hours and hours every day, working on a single move until he got it right. After receiving word that he had been officially cast, M. Jackson’s former choreographers, Rich and Tone Talauega, were brought onto the team to help J. Jackson dissect and understand the famous choreography of the King of Pop.
Depicting young M. Jackson was also extremely demanding, yet it came naturally for Valdi, who found his love for dance through watching videos from M. Jackson’s career. Before word of the biopic had gotten out, he was notoriously known on social media for dressing up and recreating M. Jackson’s famous moves. His love of M. Jackson, talent for acting, and passion for dance made him an amazing candidate to portray this talented artist.
Adding to the phenomenal biopic, the soundtrack touched every fan’s heartstrings. From the days of the Jackson Five to M. Jackson’s solo career, no one in the audience was able to watch without dancing. Traveling back to the late 60s and early 70’s, hits such as “I’ll Be There”, “Who’s Lovin’ You”, “ABC,” and many more songs sung by the Jackson Five created a sense of nostalgia for many watching the film. Transitioning into M. Jackson’s solo career, songs such as “Beat It”, “Thriller”, “Billie Jean”, “Human Nature”, “Bad,” and others created the feel of a front row concert experience for fans all around the world.
With an audience score of 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, fans were overjoyed by the film’s dedication. This film was nothing short of inspiring. Watching the discipline and work ethic of M. Jackson had left many fans ready to chase their goals. His desire to give everything he had to his dream shone through the screen and reflected onto the audience. M. Jackson didn’t just create music; he redefined the industry. His belief in manifestation and personal affirmations showed his fans that the only thing standing between them and their dreams was themselves.
“Michael” was a film full of hard work, dedication, resilience, passion and much more. M. Jackson spent his life serving the world through his music. He had a gift like few others and used it for good. He often spoke out about peace within his music and made a difference because of it. This biopic depicted his love for his art and truly encompassed the magic of Michael Jackson.
