After nearly half a decade in development, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael is just weeks away from moonwalking onto screens around the world. To celebrate, Lionsgate dropped the final trailer for the anticipated movie that stars the late self-proclaimed King of Pop’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the titular role on Wednesday morning (April 8).
The latest sneak peek at the movie opens with Jackson saying, “I’ve just got all these songs in my head,” as he stares at a cork board in the studio featured sketches, snippets of lyrics and index cards featuring the titles of some of the legendary Thriller songs that would make the former Jackson 5 member a solo mega-star, including “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Billie Jean,” “P.Y.T.,” “Human Nature” and the title track.
“I just gotta get them out,” a smiling Jackson says as the strains of one of the album’s two No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, “Beat It,” plays in the background. Then, the iconic, chill-inducing opening Synclavier phased gong sound bubbles up as we see Jackson slip on one of his signature spangled silver gloves.
Reprising much of the same footage from earlier trailers, the new preview shows Jackson on a massive stage for one of his solo shows, as well as performing with his siblings in the Jacksons and recording tracks for his breakthrough 1979 fifth solo album, Off the Wall, with producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson). There is, naturally, also a shot of the singer chilling with his pet chimp, Bubbles.
“This is what I was put on earth to do,” Jackson says in his high-toned speaking voice to the strains of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” The clip ends with Jackson doing his famous moonwalk dance to “Billie Jean” on the 1983 Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special and cradling his armload of eight Grammys at the 1984 awards.
The $155 million film is due out on April 24, with a cast that also includes Nia Long as mother Katherine Jackson, Larenz Tate as Motown founder Berry Gordy, Juliano Valdi as a young MJ, Laura Harrier as Jackson 5 dresser Suzanne de Passe, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, Jessica Sula as sister La Toya Jackson, Liv Symone as Gladys Knight and Kevin Shinick as Dick Clark.
The movie directed by Antoine Fuqua (Stans, Bullet Train) will hit a limited number of screens for early-access viewings in premium formats on April 22, two days ahead of its wide release that Friday.
Watch the final Michael trailer below.
