Despite criticism from Michael Jackson’s daughter that the King of Pop biopic panders to a specific section of her father’s fandom still living in fantasy, Michael has smashed box office records, earning $97 million domestically and $217 million globally in its opening weekend. The film has secured the biggest debut of any musical biopic, surpassing the long-standing record set by Straight Outta Compton, which opened with $60 million.
The musical biographical film directed by Antoine Fuqua that chronicles Michael Jackson’s rise from the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to the Bad tour in the late 1980s, starring his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his film debut.
The film only focuses on music, literally sanitizing Jackson’s life and omitting scandals.
Paris Jackson called the biopic the “sugar-coated” version, saying she had no involvement in the film. She added that the narrative is being controlled with a lot of inaccuracies and lies. However, Variety believes fans of Michael Jackson have long separated the art from the artist despite the child molestation claims that plagued Jackson for decades.
Cast
Jaafar Jackson plays Michael, with Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.
OTT Release
The biopic Michael was released in cinemas on April 24, 2026, and is currently still in its theatrical run. Although the film will get OTT release but no official date or platform has been confirmed so far.
The film is expected to first arrive on premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms like Apple TV or Prime Video around mid-June 2026.
As for full OTT streaming, People.com reports that it will likely debut on Starz (due to Lionsgate’s deal) around August–September 2026. After that, it may later become available on Prime Video.
