‘Michael’: See the Michael Jackson Biopic Cast vs. Their Real-Life Counterparts

“I know you’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

Truer words have never been spoken, especially when they open the long-awaited first trailer for Michael, Lionsgate’s upcoming biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The line isn’t just a tease; it’s a wink to fans who’ve spent years wondering when Hollywood would finally attempt a definitive take on the most enigmatic, influential, and controversial entertainer in music history.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Jackson is played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson and costars Miles Teller as attorney John Branca, Colman Domingo as his father Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Jessica Sula as sister LaToya, and Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy.

The teaser serves as a greatest-hits montage of Jackson’s evolution, from the famous piano-shirt look in the “Beat It” video to the black leather era of Bad. It moves through time, showing Michael as a young boy at the kitchen table with his family, then cutting to his full superstar era, all while the camera pans over a pegboard of songs from Thriller.

Here is a look at how the real people, as well as the different eras of Michael himself, stack up to the movie versions. Let us know what you think.

Michael, in theaters everywhere April 24, 2026 

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Antoine FuquaJaafar JacksonJackson 5Michael Jackson