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Michael Jackson Biopic 'Michael' Opens in Italy After Berlin Fan Premiere

The family-backed film favors concert spectacle over controversy, signaling a planned follow-up.

Overview

  • Universal Pictures released the Antoine Fuqua–directed film in Italian cinemas following a world premiere in Berlin that drew cheering fans and Jackson family members.
  • Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, leads the cast after two years of preparation that included daily dance training with choreographers Rich and Tone Talauega.
  • Reviews describe a celebratory portrait that largely stops in the mid-1980s and skips later controversies, with some critics framing it as closer to a Jackson 5 origin story.
  • The production restages signature moments such as the Pepsi commercial accident and Wembley concert, uses the Hayvenhurst home as a location, and digitally recreates Bubbles the chimp.
  • Producer Graham King said the goal is to introduce Jackson’s performances to a new generation, and the film ends with a message that points to a sequel reported to be in development.