New Delhi: Michael, the biographical film about global pop icon Michael Jackson, became the highest-grossing biopic of all time after crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide. However, the film faced criticism for avoiding some of the most controversial aspects of Jackson’s later life, particularly allegations of child sexual abuse against him.
A sequel is now in development and is expected to explore the second half of Jackson’s life, picking up where the first film ends in 1988 and moving through the final decades of his career. The sequel is expected to offer greater insight into Jackson’s perspective on the allegations.
‘Michael’s voice being heard’
When Jaafar Jackson was cast as Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael (2026), he had never acted professionally before. What followed was years of preparation for a role that carried an unusual weight: he was not only playing the King of Pop but was also portraying his own uncle.
The challenge, as Jaafar described it, was understanding the difference between Michael Jackson, the global superstar, and “Uncle Michael”.
“I think the second film will give even more insight from his point of view, because at the end of the day, [the allegations] are always from someone else’s,” Jaafar told GQ Middle East.
“It’s someone else’s story. It’s someone else’s idea of what it is, and it’s mainly driven by an agenda,” he said.
The first film follows Jackson’s rise from his childhood to his emergence as a solo superstar, ending before some of the most controversial chapters of his life. With the sequel expected to focus on his later years, Jaafar said it would be an opportunity to explore that period from a perspective he believes has been missing.
“And that’s really the issue we’ve been having as a family — not having Michael’s voice being heard,” he said. “I think that’s very, very important, especially in the late years.”
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The man behind the King of Pop
For Jaafar, Michael was not simply the man behind Thriller, Billie Jean and Bad. He was also his uncle, whose private personality, Jaafar said, existed far removed from the image and fame associated with the King of Pop.
“This first film focuses on Michael from his roots,” he said. “You understand who he was as a human being first, because at the end of the day, that’s who he was in the ’90s until he passed.”
Jaafar believes that, despite everything Michael Jackson went through, a fundamental part of his personality remained unchanged.
“He never changed that purity, that sense of always wanting to find the good in other people,” he said. “And no matter all the stuff he went through, how he was treated, what things were said about him, he never stopped treating people with kindness”, he added.
A sequel and life beyond Michael
The success of Michael has opened another chapter for Jaafar. The film became a major global box-office success, while a sequel is now in development. Lionsgate has indicated that production could begin towards the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
At the same time, Jaafar is attempting to move beyond playing his famous uncle. His next major project is Supermax, an action thriller starring Will Smith.
But Jaafar does not see his association with Michael Jackson as a burden. Instead, his comments suggest he views the role as an opportunity to look beyond the public image and explore the person behind it.
“He was broken… His heart still stayed the same… I hope that this is felt in the second movie,” he said.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)