A still from the film 'Michael.'
‘His Story Continues': Lionsgate Confirms 'Big and Satisfying' Sequel to Michael Jackson Biopic
The Michael Jackson fever continues to charm fans as they flock to their nearest cinema halls to watch the pop icon's biopic titled Michael.
Now, much to the delight of Jackson fans, Lionsgate has officially greenlit a sequel to Michael.
Lionsgate executives shared that the projected sequel's development is going smoothly and indicated that they will add more music made by the King of Pop that was unused in the initial film.
They also shared a structural approach that will allow them to touch upon different areas of his life by utilizing an intricate non-linear storytelling technique.
What to Expect From the Sequel of 'Michael'
A sequel of 'Michael' is officially on the cards.
Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, has been a massive hit that has allowed fans to get an insight into the life of the King of Pop.
The film has caused the late pop star to once again top global billboards, as his songs like Billie Jean, Beat It, and Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough have been dominating playlists worldwide.
The film has so far grossed over $789 million at the global box office according to Box Office Mojo, putting it on track to become Lionsgate's first release to top the $1 billion milestone.
With the first film wrapping up with Jackson's 1988 Bad World Tour performance at Wembley Stadium, the screen blacked out with the words “His Story Continues.”
During a quarterly earnings call, Adam Fogelson, the Lionsgate motion picture chair, expressed his excitement about the progress they have made with the sequel so far.
“All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well,” Fogelson said, according to Variety.
Fogelson stated that the incredibly entertaining factor of the Jackson story would include “much of the biggest and most popular parts of his music catalog that were not touched upon in the first film.”
He hinted that other events around the Smooth Criminal singer's life were not featured in the original film.
Michael Jackson's albums recently dominated the global charts.
“We’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together,” the executive stated.
Interestingly, he teased that Michael 2 will not show the story chronologically; instead, the creative team can go "forwards and backwards" in telling the story to add depth.
'We’ve Got 25 to 30% of a Second Movie Already Shot'
While the announcement brings excitement for fans, reports indicate that the original film's production faced significant hurdles regarding the handling of Jackson's historical controversies.
The initial film was meant to explore the child s*xual abuse allegations against him and the impact it had on the Thriller singer’s life.
Portions of those narratives were altered when legal teams realized that a clause in a past legal settlement with Jordan Chandler barred or limited specific depictions in a commercial film.
This required late-stage adjustments and reshoots for the initial theatrical release, leaving the studio to re-evaluate how a sequel would feature that period without violating the terms of the settlement.
Fogelson shared that despite cutting the materials from the initial film, the existing footage can be repurposed for the sequel, lowering production costs.
“We think we’ve got 25 to 30% of a second movie already shot from the prior production activity, and so obviously that will have some [financial] benefit ultimately,” he said.
He emphasized that they will make sure the sequel will be “big and satisfying” for the global audience once again.
Fogelson did not share the expected release date of the sequel, as the project remains in early development.