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Source: Lionsgate. Photo credit Kevin Mazur.

‘Michael’

Lionsgate has moved the release date for producer Graham King’s Michael from April 18 next year to October 3. 

The move places the Michael Jackson biopic in a similar slot to King’s hugely successful Freddie Mercury film Bohemian Rhapsody, and positions it in next year’s awards corridor. 

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the pop music megastar, Michael is produced by King with John Branca and John McClain. John Logan wrote the script and also starring are Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller and Colman Domingo. 

The first footage from the film – which will be distributed by Universal Pictures International outside the US (excluding Japan) – was shown to exhibitors in April at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas. 

Bohemian Rhapsody, which King produced with Jim Beach, was released by Fox on November 2, 2018 and went on to gross $216.4m in North Am and $687.2m in international markets for a worldwide tally of $903.6m. 

Lionsgate’s other releases for 2025 include Guy Ritchie action drama In The Grey and John Wick spin-off Ballerina.