After the CinemaCon at the beginning of April and the absence of anything related to the biopic, fans gone wild online.
Fans who have hyped the movie event thinking the trailer of the biopic will be played and even created multiple fake displays and posters, were disappointed and took on social media and flamed it with rumors and anger.
Even movie reporters blasted their keyboard all day yesterday with multiple articles, thoughts why the movie wasn’t at CinemaCon or barely mentioned which just gave more ammunition to the fans on social media.
Hollywood reporters Anthony D’Alessandro from Deadline, Jeff Sneider from TheInsneider and now Roger Friedman from Showbiz411 (yeah the same guy that trash Michael for years before getting in the Estate’s pocket) are now reporting exclusive and confirmed reports that “Michael” will be released in two parts and both movies will hit the big screen in 2026.
Friedman said his “sources” are very excited about the split because Michael Jackson deserves more attention than any other music star. It will also give Sony Music more time to organise the soundtracks and promotion and prep Jafaar Jackson to be in the public eye.
The decision to go all-in with a two-parter makes perfect sense. After all, if The Beatles are getting a four-movie saga in 2028, then Michael, the most influential artist of all time, deserves nothing less than a grand cinematic tribute. Word on the street is that the approach will be similar to Wicked, with both parts releasing in the same year to maximize impact, including during awards season.
The Michael Jackson Estate has been very quiet about this, and again, nothing has been confirmed by Lionsgate nor the Estate about the split into two movies or the delay in releasing the movie(s).
Has the Estate been too busy with MJ The Musical? Since 2009, the quality of releases and projects has become less spectacular, often to the point of disappointment, clearly showing that they are focusing only on what they want to do, such as the musical, while neglecting Michael’s own work.
Remember the Off the Wall Ultra Disc release, which came a year too late? Or the highly disappointing Thriller documentary, which was also delayed? Did the Estate drop the ball too quickly by announcing the biopic? Should they have waited for a more precise timeline and a fully developed product before revealing their plans to the world and the fans? My answer is yes!
Now, are all these rumors being circulated just a way for the Estate to control fans’ frustration? Potentially, yes. The mention of Sony Music also makes me feel that something is happening behind the scenes. While Roger Friedman shares comments from his “sources,” my sources say that the Estate and Sony are not in a great working relationship. Sony is allegedly receiving music and artwork at the last minute, with no information and barely any time to promote or release content properly.
For the fans who are angry and disappointed, yes, if true, this is a poorly managed situation. But are you really surprised, given the Estate’s track record? Did we set ourselves up for disappointment by hyping the release, creating fake posters, and assuming the trailer would be played at CinemaCon? Definitely. However, we are also allowed to hold the Estate accountable for their actions. After all, it’s the fans who are generating buzz about the biopic on social media, not the general public.
And yes, some fans will do anything for attention and likes, which is a shame, especially considering that since 2019, we’ve been insisting that “facts matter.” Yet, some of us resort to fake imagery and spreading rumors just for a bit of popularity. Those fans need to be held accountable for their actions, just as the Estate should be for its lack of coordination and communication.
But I have no doubt that the Estate is fully invested in the biopic; after all, an A-list actor is playing John Branca. My fear that a John Branca biopic is being embedded within the Michael Jackson biopic is still very much alive!
After multiple contacts with different sources within the Estate and Sony camps, we can confirm that the biopic will not be released on 2025. It is still not confirmed that the movie will be split in two.
Sebastian for MJVibe
