"Michael," Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic, is available to rent or buy on digital platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home and YouTube, following its April 24 theatrical release.
There is no confirmed subscription-streaming home yet. The film arrived already the second-highest-grossing music biopic ever made, behind only "Bohemian Rhapsody," after a $217 million worldwide opening weekend.
Written by John Logan and directed by Fuqua, the film traces Michael Jackson from his childhood as the Jackson 5's lead singer through the solo years that made him the biggest entertainer in the world, ending with his preparation for the 1987 Bad tour. Jaafar Jackson, the singer's real nephew, plays Michael in his first major screen role, opposite Colman Domingo as Joseph Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.
The film's ending exists in its current form because of a legal problem, not a creative one. A settlement clause tied to 1993 accuser Jordan Chandler barred any depiction of him, forcing 22 days of reshoots that rebuilt the entire third act. Critics have largely responded to that gap: reviews sit at 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, repeatedly praising Jaafar Jackson's performance while faulting the film for reducing his artistry to montage.
That critic-audience split is the reason to watch it now with clear eyes rather than skip it. Audiences have embraced the film anyway, with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes audience score. It works best for anyone who wants the hits, the choreography and Jaafar Jackson's performance as a piece of casting news in its own right.
