Antoine Fuqua Breaks Down the Years-Long Process of Making the ‘Michael’ Biopic

Antoine Fuqua says bringing Michael Jackson’s life to the big screen was a project years in the making—and one that became more personal the deeper he got into it.

Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, the director revealed that he spent “two years and one month” making Michael, the upcoming biopic that traces Jackson’s rise from the Jackson 5 through the height of his solo career.

Fuqua said the film follows Jackson from his earliest performances with his brothers through the Bad era, which he described as the moment Michael fully emerged as a global solo superstar.

The director explained that the movie focuses on the defining milestones of Jackson’s career, including the release of Off the Wall, the Thriller era, and the legendary moonwalk performance at Motown 25.

For Fuqua, the project was more than a chance to tell the story of one of music’s biggest stars. He said Michael Jackson’s career helped shape his own path in entertainment. Fuqua recalled watching Jackson become the first Black artist to break through on MTV in a major way, opening doors for other artists and directors.

“Michael just transcends any artist I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Fuqua said. “I watched Michael not let himself get put in a box as an artist.”

Fuqua explained that Jackson’s success showed him he did not have to remain limited to directing only R&B and rap videos. Instead, he could expand into other genres and larger projects.

Casting the film’s lead became one of the production’s biggest challenges, but Fuqua said he knew he had found the right actor when he met Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew.

“He walked out of the room, and it was Michael Jackson,” Fuqua said, recalling an early screen test. Jaafar, who had never acted before, reportedly impressed the entire crew during his first day of filming, which required him to perform “Bad” in front of 500 extras.

Fuqua also praised Colman Domingo, who plays Joe Jackson, saying the actor transformed so completely in makeup that he barely recognized him. One of Domingo’s earliest scenes in character ended up making the final cut immediately.

Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. The cast includes Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, and Larenz Tate.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on April 24, 2026, and has already drawn significant attention after its teaser trailer broke Lionsgate records with more than 116 million views in its first 24 hours.