Lionsgate Eyes Late 2026 Start for Michael Jackson Sequel
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Lionsgate plans to begin filming the "Michael" sequel in late 2026 or early 2027, targeting a release by the end of 2027 or the first half of 2028, per motion picture chief Adam Fogelson on Thursday's earnings call.
- The original "Michael" grossed $1 billion globally this spring and ends with the on-screen words "His Story Continues," signaling that a follow-up was always part of the plan.
- Antoine Fuqua directed the first film, which starred Jaafar Jackson — Michael Jackson's real-life nephew — and concluded with the performer's 1987 "Bad" tour.
- A last-minute legal dispute forced filmmakers to scrap plans to address child molestation accusations in the first film after the Jackson estate's attorneys discovered a clause in the settlement with one accuser barring his depiction in any movie.
- Fogelson said some previously shot musical sequences will "almost surely" be incorporated into the sequel, and the studio has not yet given guidance on the budget.
- The sequel can mine material the first film couldn't, including Jackson's "Dangerous" album era and the abuse allegations that followed him for the rest of his life.
Why it matters: The sequel gives Lionsgate a chance to mine the most contested chapters of Jackson's life — including the abuse allegations that a settlement clause kept out of the first film. Reusing already-shot sequences should help control costs while the studio awaits budget guidance, keeping the franchise's momentum alive after a $1 billion box office run.
Ask SkimNews
