The upcoming film detailing the King of Pop’s ascent to stardom just got an exciting new update. A new report from Deadline revealed that Derek Luke (Captain America: The First Avenger, The Purge, Antwone Fisher) has joined the cast of Michael, the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. Luke will reportedly play Johnnie Cochran, Jackson‘s lawyer who represented him in his infamous 1993 court case. Luke joins an already stacked ensemble featuring Jackson‘s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the titular artist, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, and more. John Logan penned the script (Alien: Covenant, Spectre, Skyfall), and Antoine Fuqua will direct.
Jackson was arguably the most popular person on the planet for most of his career, for better and worse. The film promises to dive into all the important aspects of his life, including the music and dance moves that turned him into a global sensation, as well as his public and private struggles. It also aims to recreate some of Jackson’s most famous performances, which will be brought to life by Jackson‘s nephew Jaafar, who bore a stunning resemblance to the King of Pop in the first official images of the film in February. Multiple members of Jackson‘s family and estate executors are involved with the production, including John Branda and John McClain, along with Jackson‘s oldest son, Prince.
Who Else Will Star in the Michael Jackson Biopic?
Outside its core ensemble of A-list stars, there are plenty of other names already signed on to star in Michael. This list includes Laura Harrier, Juliano Krue Valdi, Jamal R. Henderson, Kevin Shinick, Tre Horton, Larenz Tate, Jessica Sula, Liv Symone, and more. It’s not yet known what the upcoming biopic will be rated, but even if it lands an R-rating, it still has the potential to be one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
There has been no shortage of pop culture icons over the years, but next to none have risen to the same levels of fame as Jackson. Many would argue that, until several years ago, he still held the highest apex for any star in any industry. Regarding worldwide recognition, the only person who is even a remotely apt comparison to Jackson at his peak is Taylor Swift in 2024. When Michael hits theaters next year, it won’t be surprising if the masses show up.
The Michael is currently set to release in theaters worldwide in just under one year on April 18, 2025. Stay tuned at Collider for further updates.
via Collider