Michael — the Jaafar Jackson-led biopic that became the highest-grossing music biopic of all time — is now available to stream on STARZ, and its sequel has officially been given a production timeline.
The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Lionsgate, made its STARZ streaming premiere on Monday, August 10, following a theatrical run that began on April 24 and concluded domestically on July 23 with $372.3 million in ticket sales. Its global box office total currently stands at $1.020 billion, surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody to claim the title of the highest-grossing music biopic in cinema history, according to Forbes.
Table of Contents
The Sequel Is Coming — and Filming Is Near
During Lionsgate’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday, the studio’s film division chief Adam Fogelson confirmed that filming on Michael 2 is expected to begin at “the end of this year or early next,” as reported by Variety. The announcement puts a concrete timeline on what the film’s closing title card had already promised — that “HIS story continues.”
Fogelson also revealed that footage already captured for the first film — particularly several major musical sequences — is expected to be incorporated into the sequel, which he described as a practical and creatively sensible decision given the scale of what was originally produced. While he declined to discuss the sequel’s budget on the call, he made clear that the team is focused on delivering something worthy of the original’s impact.
What the First Film Covered
Michael chronicles the life of Michael Jackson from the early days of the Jackson Five through his rise as a solo artist and the releases of his landmark albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. The story concludes in 1988 as Jackson embarks on his Bad World Tour — leaving the events of the following decades, including his most controversial and complicated years, entirely for the sequel to address.
Jaafar Jackson — the real-life nephew of Michael Jackson and son of Jermaine Jackson — stars as the King of Pop in his teen and adult years. The film also features Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Michael’s parents Joe and Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller as longtime manager John Branca.
How to Watch ‘Michael’ on STARZ
The film is now streaming on the STARZ app. Subscribers without an existing account can access the service for $7.99 per month or $74.99 per year. The film is also currently available to purchase or rent through digital platforms.
Discover more from A2Z Filming Location
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.