The moonwalk is back on screen and the internet can’t stop watching. Antoine Fuqua’s long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic, simply titled Michael, dropped its first trailer this week, and within a day it had already shattered view records. More than 116 million views in 24 hours. That’s higher than any musical biopic or concert film in history.
The footage itself feels like a fever dream for fans: glittering lights, sharp choreography, the unmistakable silhouette of the King of Pop and, at the center of it all, Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s real-life nephew, practically channeling his uncle. It’s uncanny. You blink twice, and you’re back in 1988 at Wembley.
Fuqua, who built his name on high-intensity dramas like Training Day and The Equalizer, is directing from a script by Gladiator writer John Logan. The film’s cast rounds out like a who’s who of powerhouse presences: Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, and newcomer Juliano Krue Valdi stepping into the sparkly shoes of young Michael. The global release is locked for April 24, 2026.
Online, the reaction is what you’d expect from a figure as mythic and polarizing as Jackson loud, divided, and deeply emotional. On one end, fans are stunned by Jaafar’s resemblance and energy. On the other, critics are asking how a major studio plans to tackle the messier parts of Michael’s legacy. It’s the same question that’s shadowed every attempt to tell his story since Leaving Neverland: how do you honor the music without ignoring the man?
The cultural timing is interesting. Gen Z has rediscovered Jackson through TikTok edits and retro playlists. Millennials still remember when his short films were global events. And now, a big-screen biopic aims to bridge both worlds the magic and the mystery, the dance floor and the darkness.
In India and across Asia, the trailer landed differently. Nostalgia hit first. Local social feeds flooded with fans reminiscing about watching Thriller on grainy TV sets or copying his moonwalk in school assemblies. “No one will ever have aura like MJ,” one Indian fan wrote a sentiment echoed from Manila to Seoul. But beneath the warmth, there’s a quiet curiosity: will Hollywood finally get Michael right, or just mythologize him again?
Even Paris Jackson has chimed in, calling the project “not my circus,” after confirming she had zero involvement. It’s a sharp reminder that the Jackson story, even told by family, still divides the family.
Still, if early numbers are any hint, Michael isn’t just a biopic. It’s an event part resurrection, part reckoning. The kind of film that will spark think pieces, playlists, costume parties, and yes, plenty of debate. Love him or not, Michael Jackson’s cultural voltage hasn’t dimmed. The trailer proves it.
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Sana has been covering film, fame, and everything in between for over a decade. From red carpets to rehab rumors, she brings nuance, wit, and an insider’s edge to every story. When she’s not reporting, she’s probably watching Koffee With Karan reruns or doom-scrolling celebrity IG feeds.
