Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson to play the king of pop in his biopic. Watch teaser

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the cast of the film includes Jaafar Jackson, Juliano Krue Valdi, Tony Von Halle, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Joe Gillette, and Nia Long.

A still from the teaser of the Michael Jackson biopic. (Photo: X/Michael Jackson)

Even though his career was marked by controversy, Michael Jackson propelled himself to the very top of pop music. Along with Quincy Jones, Jackson went on one of the most successful three-album runs in music history with Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall. Now a biopic highlighting his life is set to release in 2026, and interestingly, his nephew Jaafar Jackson will be playing the King of Pop.

The teaser of the film opens up with a young Michael in the recording booth, with a voice telling him, “I know you have been waiting for this a long time.” Based on the look, it seems like the scene is from the time Michael was beginning his association with Quincy. There are a lot of scenes showcasing a young Michael as well, which means that the film also might be focusing on the time period when Jackson was still singing with his brothers in the Jackson 5.

MICHAEL – in theaters April 24, 2026 #MichaelMovie pic.twitter.com/CzmEuwTcFi

— Michael Jackson (@michaeljackson) November 6, 2025

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His glory days on the top of recording charts are also shown, and Jaafar can be seen rocking the many styles and looks that Michael had throughout the years, including his Zombie look for the song “Thriller”. It’s unclear to what extent his tumultuous relationship with father Joe Jackson and record executive Berry Gordy will be shown in the film, but it will be a hard period to completely overlook.

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Actor Miles Teller, who is playing entertainment lawyer John Branca, has been talking about his admiration for Michael Jackson and his excitement about the film for quite some time now. During an appearance on Andy Cohen’s talk show, he admitted that he was a “massive fan” of Michael while growing up. He said, “I learnt to do the moonwalk when I was 11 years old.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the cast of the film includes Jaafar Jackson, Juliano Krue Valdi, Tony Von Halle, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Joe Gillette, Kendrick Sampson and Nia Long.

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