Record-breaking box office sparks 'Michael 2' release date tease
Off the back of the Michael Jackson biopic’s mega success, Lionsgate has pencilled in when Michael 2 will shoot — and when you’ll see it.
Well, that did not take long, did it? Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic, smashed its way into the record books earlier this year, hoovering up over $1 billion at the global box office. It is now officially the top-earning music biopic in history, which is no small feat considering how many we've had lately (if you are keeping track, yes, that means it outperformed Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman as well).
Michael is now the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, having pulled in more than $1 billion globally.
The film's secret weapon was Jaafar Jackson – Michael's actual nephew – taking on the title role. Critics could not stop raving about his turn, and fans seemed genuinely won over, which is saying something given how fiercely protective people are about MJ's legacy. The story whisked us through all the big beats: from the Jackson 5's early Motown days, through the glitzy solo superstardom, all the way up to the start of the Bad era. It pretty much cut to black following his iconic Wembley performance in 1988, which was a very abrupt ending if you ask me. Just as you were settling in for the darker years and the possible controversy, the film closed with a not-at-all subtle title card: "His Story Continues…"
Meant to Be a Two-Parter
Most people suspected this was leading toward a sequel, but it is now official – and moving at a pace I did not quite expect. Lionsgate announced back in May that Michael 2 (let's not split hairs about the title for now) is in development. Not only that, it's reportedly getting the full fast-track treatment. There is already a production window circled in calendars and a release date being mapped out. No word yet on exactly who is returning, but the way the first film ended (literally at the edge of Michael's most controversial era), you can bet plenty of critical casting decisions will be under the microscope for the next round.
The big promise: the follow-up is committed to covering everything the first film skipped, meaning the late '80s through to Jackson's death in 2009. Whether that means it's a warts-and-all portrait or another respectful chronicle, well, watch this space. For now, fans have barely a moment to catch their breath before the machine gets rolling again.