The Michael Movie’s Premiere Proves The Jacksons Have Staying Power
By Elizabeth Paige Richardson | April 24, 2026 | Celebrity & Culture
The Michael movie is moonwalking into theaters nationwide today, and it’s shaping up to be a cultural event.
The hype online is hard to overstate. The long lead up to the debut has the energy of the 1993 Super Bowl, when the crowd cheered in anticipation of Michael Jackson’s now-iconic performance. There have been posts with excited ticket holders picking out MJ-style outfits and singing along to the soundtrack on opening weekend.
The biopic follows Michael Jackson’s life as he rises from Gary, Indiana, as a member of the Jackson 5 to a solo artist with the world watching his every move. The film has made headlines for its cast, including Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, Coleman Domingo, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Larenze Tate and more.
But while you wait on the concessions line to grab a Michael-themed fedora popcorn bucket, let’s recap all the work that went into bringing the story of one of the best-selling artists of all time to Dolby Cinema-sized screens.
Without a doubt, family has been the focus of the film’s creation and rollout to theaters. That comes as no surprise considering the Jackson family put themselves on the Motown map with the close-knit Jackson 5.
Filling the shoes of the King of Pop was always going to be a tall order. Luckily for the film’s director Antione Fuqua, Jermaine Jackson’s talented brood of kids had the perfect star, son Jaafar. The 29-year-old was open in behind-the-scenes looks about the blood and sweat he put into his transformation into his late uncle. Not only have the trailers shown him nailing the look and effortlessly difficult dance moves coined by MJ, but Jaafar has also been crafting his vocal ability since he was a teenager.
And he’s gotten plenty of thumbs-up for his performance from the critics that probably matter the most: his father’s siblings, who grew up alongside Jackson.
Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Jackie and matriarch Katherine Jackson have all shown support and gushed over Jaafar’s performance in the film. “I was flabbergasted. I have to tell you that you think it’s Mike,” Latoya told The Hollywood Reporter about her nephew.
Taj Jackson, musician and son of the late Tito Jackson, has taken his support for his cousin’s big moment and family legacy a step further by directly calling out critics and the media for trying to “control the narrative anymore of who Michael Jackson truly was.”
“The public gets to watch this movie…they will decide for themselves,” he continued on an X post.
Although over the years much of the Jackson family has retreated from their heyday in the spotlight, they’ve come together to uplift Jaafar. They’ve appeared across the world to premiere the film—a testament to MJ’s enduring legacy as a global entertainer—and have adhered to a very sparkly dress code.
The premiere in Los Angeles proved two things to audiences that night: the Jackson family still has staying power in pop culture, and a family that sticks together succeeds together.
Michael debuts in theaters April 24.
Photo credit: Getty Images; Lionsgate
