Jaafar Jackson Returns for Michael Sequel That Will Tackle the Abuse Allegations the First Film Cut
Jaafar Jackson will reprise his role as Michael Jackson in a sequel to the Michael biopic, now in development at Lionsgate and the Michael Jackson estate, with production targeted towards the end of 2026 or early 2027, according to Lionsgate's Adam Fogelson (Deadline).
The first film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, ends its story in 1987 with the release of the Bad music video — well before the child abuse allegations that began surfacing in the early 1990s. Those allegations were originally part of the first film's script. Lionsgate spent at least $10 million on reshoots to strip them out and refocus the narrative on Jackson's rise to stardom (Variety). The film's cast acknowledged at the time that a sequel could address what the first film omitted (Deadline).
Now that sequel is taking shape, and Jaafar Jackson — Michael's nephew — has made clear he wants it to confront the allegations head-on, but from his uncle's perspective. Speaking to GQ Middle East, he said the second film will give "even more insight from his uncle's point of view" because "the allegations are always from someone else's" (Deadline). He described the allegations as "driven by an agenda" and said the family's difficulty has been "not having Michael's voice heard."
The backdrop is weighty. Michael Jackson was charged in 2003 with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor; he denied all charges (Deadline). In 2005, he faced ten counts including child molestation, intoxicating a minor with alcohol, and conspiracy, involving a 13-year-old (Deadline). Jackson was acquitted at the 2005 trial.
Jaafar Jackson's performance in the first film drew strong notices; Deadline's review praised his turn as his uncle (Deadline). He is the son of Jermaine Jackson, Michael's older brother, and the role marks his screen debut.
Separately, Paris Jackson — Michael's daughter — said in May 2026 that she had achieved a "massive win" in a lawsuit concerning the Michael Jackson estate (Deadline). That litigation sits alongside the estate's involvement in the biopic franchise as a producing partner.
What makes the sequel's direction notable is the tension between the estate's creative control and the subject matter. The first film's reshoots to remove the allegations were widely reported as a response to legal sensitivities around the estate's version of events. Now the sequel plans to put those same allegations on screen — filtered, as Jaafar Jackson frames it, through Michael's own perspective. How Lionsgate and the estate navigate that balance, and whether audiences and critics accept a dramatised defence rather than a neutral account, will shape the reception of a film that is still months from a camera rolling.
