A release date for the sequel to Michael, the insanely popular Michael Jackson biopic, is being targeted for the end of 2027 or early 2028, according to an official with Lionsgate, the studio behind the film.
Lionsgate Chairman Adam Fogelson provided new information on the follow-up film in an earnings call on Thursday, saying, “We are targeting a production start towards the end of this year or early next.” Fogelson also projected a release date for the sequel, noting that he believes the end of 2027 or the first half of 2028 will be “roughly” the release timeframe.
“We are hard at work on making sure that we can put together a sequel that is worthy of the success and enthusiasm that the first movie generated, and we’re fully engaged with everybody,” Fogelson said, adding that the studio is focused on how to “make sure we can deliver at the right price the biggest, best sequel. That is what the audience is going to want and deserve after the experience we gave them the first time.”
Fogelson sidestepped questions about the exact budget, saying the studio isn’t ready to announce everything at the moment, but he noted that some scenes shot for the first film weren’t used, including “some big musical sequences,” which will likely make it into the next movie. The first film concluded in the middle of 1987’s “Bad” tour.
Michael was directed by Antoine Fuqua and starred Jaafar Jackson, nephew to the global pop star. It took in more than a billion dollars worldwide, making it the highest grossing biopic of all time despite controversy lingering around the King of Pop and his legacy that for years has been plagued with allegations he sexually abused children, which he denied and his estate denies. The Jackson estate spent an estimated $15 million to work with the studio and filmmakers to remove scenes concerning those allegations, according to reports. Whether the sequel will address the subject remains unclear.
