Michael Jackson Biopic Release Delayed

Lionsgate has a busy fall in 2025, as it now has two top titles set for that stretch.

The company announced Tuesday that "Michael", its Michael Jackson biopic from director Antoine Fuqua, is now slated to hit theaters in wide release on October 3, 2025. 

The feature is moving back by six months from its previously planned release on April 18, 2025.

Starring in the title role is Jaafar Jackson, who is the nephew of the late pop superstar, while Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller and Colman Domingo round out the cast.

Fuqua helms from a script by John Logan for the project that counts Graham King, John Branca and John McClain as producers.

Lionsgate has also set its comedy Good Fortune for wide theatrical release on October 17, 2025. 

Writer-director Aziz Ansari stars in the pic alongside Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh and Keanu Reeves. 

Ansari, Anthony Katagas and Alan Yang serve as producers.

"Good Fortune" centers on a well-intentioned but slightly clueless angel (Reeves), who intervenes in the lives of a frustrated gig worker (Ansari) and a successful venture capitalist (Rogen).

During a San Diego Comic-Con panel in July, Fuqua spoke about his progress on "Michael", explaining that he was in the process of editing the film at the time.

“Why I wanted to make it is, Michael,” the filmmaker said. “Michael was a big part of my life growing up, big influence on my career, an incredible artist — but he was a human being, and we’re exploring that. I’m very excited about it.”

Footage from "Michael" was screened at CinemaCon in April, where King revealed that the movie will include 30 songs and have a lengthy run time, to do justice to Jackson’s story.