The first Michael biopic barely finished its opening weekend before the conversation shifted to what comes next. A sequel is officially in development, and the story behind how it came to exist is just as dramatic as anything on screen.
The original film was never planned as a two-parter. But during production, the Jackson estate discovered that an earlier legal settlement barred the depiction of one of Michael’s past accusers — a character who had been written into the film’s third act.
That forced 22 days of emergency reshoots, significant script changes, and a complete rethinking of where the first film would end.
The result was a movie that closes around the era of Off the Wall in 1979, leaving everything from Thriller onward — including the trial, the controversies, and the final years — for a second film.
A fan-made concept trailer imagining what Part 2 could look like has been circulating online and capturing attention.
A Concept Teaser For Part 2
Part 2 would have no shortage of material. The years not covered in the first film include the recording of Thriller — still the best-selling album in history — Bad, Dangerous, the Neverland years, the 1993 allegations, the 2005 trial and acquittal, and Michael’s death in 2009.
Director Antoine Fuqua originally set out to tackle the abuse allegations head-on, and with the settlement issue now understood, Part 2 gives him the chance to do exactly that.
Jaafar Jackson is expected to return in the lead role. The full confirmed cast for Part 2 has not yet been announced.
The Official Behind-The-Scenes Of How Jaafar Prepared For This Role Here
THE END NOTE
Whether Part 2 gets made depends largely on how well the first film performs. With nearly $900 million at the global box office already, the answer seems clear.
And fans are already swaying over the fact that they’ll get to witness another marvel of Michael’s life at the hands of his nephew