Michael (2026 movie)

The movie opens in 1966 with steel mill worker Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo) ruthlessly pushing his five young sons into a musical act called the Jackson 5. Child actor Juliano Krue Valdi plays the young Michael, whose prodigious talent on lead vocals is nurtured under the constant shadow of his father's iron will and physical abuse. Under Motown Records, the group skyrockets to fame, forcing the family to move from a small house in the Midwest to an expansive estate in Encino, California.

As Michael grows older (played by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson), he longs to break free from his father's controlling management. With the help of his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), and attorney John Branca (Miles Teller), Michael takes charge of his own career. He channels his creative ambitions to record legendary solo albums like Off the Wall and the record-breaking Thriller. This era is marked by his obsessive pursuit of musical perfection, his signature choreography, and his attempts to navigate intense global fame.

The movie highlights Michael's duality: on stage, he is a revolutionary performer, but off stage, he struggles to make human connections due to his early loss of a normal childhood. His longing for a carefree life manifests in his obsession with Peter Pan, his construction of the Neverland Ranch, and his growing collection of exotic animals. The movie touches upon his changing appearance, his diagnosis and struggles with vitiligo, and his genuine devotion to his fans and charity work.

Rather than exploring later-life controversies, the movie focuses heavily on the triumphs of his artistic journey and culminates with spectacular re-enactments of his iconic concert performances.