The Michael Jackson biopic was released in 2026 under the title Michael. The movie tells the narrative of the late King of Pop, as portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine Jackson of the music group called The Jackson 5. Michael’s son, Prince Jackson, was an executive producer on this project, as well as other notable family members. Although the movie has mixed reviews concerning both the story and the people portrayed in the film, the movie will surely get you on your feet both dramatically and musically.
The American Dream
The very first movie narrative on Michael Jackson’s life was called The Jacksons: An American Dream. The movie was released as a TV special in two parts. It starts with a brief focus on the life of Michael’s father, Joseph Jackson, and his wife, Katherine, in Gary, Indiana. Eventually, after the marriage of Joseph and Katherine, they started to have children, with the oldest being Jackie (born Sigmund Esco Jackson).
As the children got older, Joseph noticed that four of his sons had a talent for music. It occurred after one night, when Joseph gave his sons a beating for touching his instruments, but then asked them to perform. During this time, Michael was a young boy who wanted to sing with his brothers, but he was too young to be considered. This was until after his family saw Michael perform during a talent show with perfect pitch. Katherine then hinted that the Jacksons are now The Jackson 5 to Joseph, and the rest was history in the making.
The movie would then show us different events as The Jackson 5 became a success in the music industry. The movie ends during the Victory Tour, where an adult Michael is seen performing with his brothers once again after an accident during a Pepsi commercial, where Michael suffered from third-degree burns on the back of his head. The interesting thing about this movie was that Michael and every member of his family were alive during this time. As a result, Michael had a lot of creative approval in the making of this movie, while his brother Jermaine was a producer over the project.
The Michael Movie – Smooth Criminal
The biopic tells the story of Michael Jackson in a very interesting way. First, the movie really has two main storylines: one being Michael, and the other his father, Joseph. Supporting music soundtracks, which would have been heard during the timeline of events, created by either The Jackson 5, Michael, or The Jacksons, were used either as background music or performances. This was done to tell both the action story and the emotional story of the piece.
Unlike The Jacksons: An American Dream, the Michael movie starts with young Michael looking outside his window in his home in Gary, Indiana. He stares at the children playing while he is preparing to rehearse with his brothers for a show. It became evident in the beginning that Joseph was framed as the antagonist of the movie because of the whippings he was seen giving Michael, and when Joseph made a comment to Michael concerning his “big nose”. Many shots of the movie highlighted Joseph’s comment, such as the nose of the Peter Pan storybook Michael was reading.
The movie goes over Michael’s journey in becoming a solo artist, leading up to his Bad Tour. It does highlight the Victory Tour like the American Dream movie, but it takes a very interesting twist in the events that took place, which may not match the actual live recordings from the Victory Tour footage.
Michael Jackson – The Dream Continues
The best way to view this movie is with a grain of salt first, and then as a fan. The reason is that Michael and Joseph are not alive today to give their two cents on the details of the film. Tito Jackson also passed away before the completion of the film, who was also an executive producer. The movie was dedicated to Tito due to his passing in 2024 before the film’s release.
You want to view this movie as a fan second, because Michael Jackson is the most successful singer worldwide with huge numbers, profits, and turnouts. This is an example of how much he was loved around the world. If you are familiar with the American Dream film, blend it with the biopic, and you will start to see the bigger picture somewhere in between.
The movie was a dedicated piece to the late Michael Jackson, whose music and philanthropy have touched the lives of people across the world. Whether the 2026 film contains fluff from those in Hollywood, it is important to note that the Jackson Family has left their mark in history, and it is continuing to grow. Out of respect to them and Michael’s three children, know that unless you are on the inside of what was happening from the youth of the Jackson children up to their adulthood, the full truth stays with those who experienced it and are witnesses. The movie was not about vilifying Joseph as an antagonist, though that’s what the film portrayed, which differs greatly from the American Dream film.
The movie is about the celebration of the life of Michael Jackson. In this, enjoy the movie, and remember that “Based on a True Story” means that real characters and events are being used, and it does not mean that it is a 100% retelling of the events, where some scenes will be dramatized.
