Fans of the King of Pop will have to wait a little longer to moonwalk into theaters. The much-anticipated biopic ‘Michael’, which dives deep into the life and legacy of Michael Jackson, has officially been delayed — again.

Originally slated for an October 2025 release, the film is now expected to arrive sometime after April 2026.

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Lionsgate made the announcement during its Q4 2025 earnings call, with CEO Jon Feltheimer confirming the delay. He didn’t offer a concrete date but hinted that the film might move out of the 2025–26 fiscal year entirely.

“We’re excited about the 3.5 hours of incredible footage,” Feltheimer shared, referring to the raw material from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua. “We’ll be announcing a definitive release strategy and timing in the coming weeks.”

So yes, the movie is still happening — just not as soon as we hoped.

Interestingly, insiders are whispering that Michael Jackson biopic could release in two parts, which makes sense given the scope of the icon’s life and career.

That’s right — it’s shaping up to be a cinematic saga rather than a one-and-done feature. Filming wrapped back in May 2024, but with some revisions to John Logan’s script underway and planned reshoots on the horizon, it seems the creative team wants to get every beat just right.

In the spotlight as the King himself is none other than Jaafar Jackson — Michael’s real-life nephew — who is making his acting debut in the role.

Talk about stepping into big shoes.

Jaafar has reportedly impressed everyone behind the scenes, and fans are curious to see how he brings his uncle’s moves, voice, and charisma to the big screen.

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But Jaafar isn’t the only big name attached to this project. The cast list reads like a who’s who of both music legends and acting powerhouses.

Oscar nominee Colman Domingo and Nia Long will portray Michael’s parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. Miles Teller is stepping in as longtime Jackson lawyer John Branca, while Larenz Tate will channel Motown founder Berry Gordy.

The film also features Laura Harrier as music executive Suzanne de Passe and Kat Graham as the iconic Diana Ross. Other key names include Jessica Sula as La Toya Jackson, Liv Symone as Gladys Knight, Kevin Shinick as TV legend Dick Clark, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Michael’s close friend and former security guard Bill Bray.

Kendrick Sampson takes on the role of legendary producer Quincy Jones. He is a pivotal figure in Jackson’s career who helped craft ‘Off the Wall’, ‘Thriller’, and ‘Bad’.

For those keeping tabs, ‘Michael’ was a big talking point at Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation in 2023. But in 2024? Crickets. Not a single clip was shown, which only fueled speculation about delays and behind-the-scenes changes.