The 'MICHAEL' biopic era is officially in motion, and it's already setting records.
The one-minute teaser was released last week, quickly setting a record for the most-watched biopic teaser ever. One of the film's characters, Miles Teller, who will play the role of John Branca, Jackson's manager, has already generated conversation among those who think he's playing...Michael Jackson. The mistakes were a topic of laughter earlier this week when Teller appeared on the "New Heights" podcast hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce, with the "Whiplash" actor saying, "When I first got cast, it said 'Miles Teller to star in Michael Jackson biopic', and I think people literally thought I was playing him," he said, which caused Travis to bust out into laughter.
"You got the moves...I could see it," added Travis, which then prompted Teller to do a little Shimmy. Teller did, however, have high praise for the person who is actually playing Jackson, his nephew Jaafar Jackson, who was announced in the role a couple of years ago. "There will never be somebody who portrays somebody in a biopic that has a ton of that DNA already in him," he added.
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"He trained for two or three years before we even rolled camera, and this kid is going to light that screen on fire," Teller raved. The teaser, which topped more than 116 million official views in just 24 hours, earned the title not just for the most-watched biopic teaser ever, but also an individual teaser record for Lionsgate. Aside from Jaafar and Teller, the film also stars Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Juliano Krue Valdi and Colman Domingo.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and John Logan, it premieres on April 24, 2026, and the official synopsis reads, "'MICHAEL' is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world."
It continues, "Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins."
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