Michael Jackson Movie Sequel Faces A Bigger Challenge Than The First Film

Published Nov 14, 2026, 9:45 PM EST Liz Declan is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant, primarily covering movies. She is a massive fan of Star Wars, the MCU, and Supernatural. In addition to writing, Liz loves attending and covering conventions and interviewing actors. Find her on TikTok and Instagram @va.va.vera Lionsgate's 2026 musical biopic Michael brought the life and legacy of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, to the big screen in perhaps the largest way any movie has done so far, and now, they will be trying to replicate that feat in the upcoming Michael sequel movie that is already confirmed to be in the works. Michael was a fascinating release when it hit theaters this April. Although some reviews of Michael were very positive, most of them effectively tore the movie apart, for a range of reasons. Among the biggest complaints were the movie's seeming avoidance of Jackson's real-life controversies (although, notably, the movie concludes before many of those events transpired, chronologically) as well as related criticisms that the movie glorifies Jackson and avoids any thornier, more negative traits or moments from his life. However, audiences had an overwhelmingly positive response to the movie by comparison. To put it in perspective, the critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is a bleak 38%, representing 312 reviews, whereas the audience score is a staggering 97%, accounting for more than 25,000 ratings. That division isn't likely to go anywhere in the Michael sequel, which has been given the working title of Michael 2, although a different final title is almost certainly coming. In fact, this upcoming movie, which will very likely focus on the remainder of Jackson's life until his death in 2009, has a significantly more daunting task ahead of it, as the very events that critics complained were absent in Michael will, by necessity, be appearing in Michael 2. In addition to the controversies, that means some of the most significant moments of the star's very complicated life. A Michael Jackson Movie Sequel Would Explore The Most Complicated Years Of His Life Michael concludes in 1988, during Jackson's Bad tour. At the time, this choice was, in part, what led to such harsh backlash from many critics, as it seemed like Michael had intentionally ended then, before any allegations about Jackson emerged. It wasn't yet known that Michael was getting a sequel. Presumably, Michael 2 would pick up soon after that conclusion, but whether there's a slight jump forward in time or not, a sequel that highlights the remainder of Jackson's life will have some very choppy waters to navigate. For one thing, Jackson went on to have three children, Paris, Prince, and Bigi, with Paris and Prince born in the late 1990s and Bigi being born in 2002—meaning that all three births come after the conclusion of Michael. There is some question about whether the movie is going to include his children, as there may be some objections from within the family (although, for now, those conversations are largely speculative chatter), but it feels next to impossible that they won't be present at all; they were, understandably, a huge part of his life. Of course, the 90s and 00s also saw the release of some of Jackson's most famous songs and albums from throughout his life and the emergence of the first allegation of child sexual abuse against Jackson, none of which is going to be easy to capture on the big screen, for very different reasons. Jackson's Later Career Includes Some Of His Biggest Musical Achievements Michael concluding in 1988 means that some of Jackson's best songs were released after that movie's end. Among the most notable releases following the conclusion of Michael was his studio album Dangerous, which was released in 1991. Along with many others, that album included the song "Black or White," which continues to be one of Jackson's best-known and most celebrated songs today. Also released after Michael's conclusion was his final studio album of new material during his lifetime, Invincible. Michael already proved that Lionsgate is up to the difficult task of bringing concert-level experiences to the screen even as the biopic follows a narrative arc. In fact, this was among the reasons that many audience members loved it; chatter online and audience ratings suggest that many Michael Jackson fans felt it was the closest they could come to seeing him in concert again. In that sense, Michael 2 will just have to repeat that success. That's easier said than done, of course, but it's far from the most daunting obstacle the sequel movie has ahead. Michael 2 Can't Ignore The Allegations Against The Singer The single biggest obstacle facing Michael 2 is the fact that the film will absolutely have to address the multiple allegations of child sexual abuse made against Jackson in his lifetime. Already, there have been discussions about why those stories weren't in Michael, from the timeline of that movie to the fact that certain stories could not appear in the film for legal reasons. However, considering that Michael 2 is set after 1988, there is just no way around it, and, in addition to being incredibly sensitive, serious subject matter, this is going to require a tonal shift from Michael. Critics weren't wrong that Michael has a largely positive, upbeat tone that does center Michael as a loving, fun, kind-hearted character who has been wronged by many people. While there are those who would agree with that representation of Michael Jackson and those who wouldn't, there is no conceivable way that Michael 2 can move forward with the same depiction of Jackson and his life that the first movie had—at least, it can't without being much more seriously criticized even than Michael was. Additionally, Michael 2 will have to take some sort of stance on the allegations made against Jackson and whether they were true. Notably, Jackson was found not guilty in court. However, the court of public opinion is another matter, and many feel that the allegations were true (not to mention the fact that a court ruling does not automatically mean that something is true or untrue). Michael 2 will inevitably anger those who hold one belief or the other—or, potentially, those on both sides of the argument. This may actually alienate the very fanbase that loved Michael, if the movie suggests the allegations were true or even leaves that in question. On the other hand, if Michael 2 suggests that the allegations were false or largely sweeps the allegations under the rug, then it will only intensify the criticism and backlash from Michael. In either case, Michael 2 has a very difficult path ahead. The Movie Would Likely Feature An Almost Impossible Ending Assuming that Michael 2 takes the story all the way to the singer's death in 2009, which feels more likely than not, then it will also have the monumental task of somehow providing an "end" to the story, although arguably, there hasn't been one, even now. For one, in terms of the aforementioned controversies, those legal battles continue, with new updates and even new allegations over the years following Jackson's death. Additionally, it's difficult to capture what Jackson has meant globally and the profound impact he continues to have on pop culture. He is seen by many as the true greatest of all time, and he has continued to influence the music industry and beyond, long after his death (and the conclusion of that legacy doesn't seem to be arriving anytime soon). That is perhaps what made Michael so impressive already; Michael Jackson is an incredibly complex public figure, and capturing those complexities on screen is no easy feat. The question simply remains, can Michael 2 pull it off? Release Date April 24, 2026 Runtime 130 minutes Director Antoine Fuqua Cast Jaafar Jackson Michael Jackson Writers John Logan Producers Graham King, John Branca, John McClain