Nicolai Haugsted
Jaafar Jackson reveals the original ending of the Michael Jackson film, which was entirely cut before its premiere.
The major Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’ became the cinematic surprise of the year. Antoine Fuqua’s film, starring Jaafar Jackson as his own uncle, has surpassed $1 billion (approx. 7 billion DKK) worldwide, making it the highest-grossing music biography drama ever, according to Wikipedia, citing figures from distributor Lionsgate).
However, the version audiences saw from April 24 onwards was not the film the team originally shot. An entire third act disappeared in the editing room, and now, for the first time, Jaafar Jackson reveals what happened behind the scenes.
In a new interview, the actor discloses that a legal obstacle forced Lionsgate to rewrite the ending. The original third act addressed the controversial child sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson from 1993 – allegations Jackson always denied. However, a settlement condition with one of the accusers required the references to be removed, and in June 2025, Fuqua conducted 22 days of reshoots at a cost of approximately $15 million (approx. 105 million DKK), NME reports.
Now Ends in 1988
As a result, ‘Michael’ now concludes the narrative in 1988 with Jackson on stage at Wembley Stadium during the ‘Bad World Tour’. The entire heavy section concerning the allegations and the subsequent period was removed.
Jaafar Jackson takes it in stride.
“It was a massive shoot. I’ve heard many stories from other actors about how much you shoot on a project that never makes it into the finished film,” he tells Variety.
“For me, it was the most rewarding experience because even the things that weren’t used gave me experience that made me a better actor.”
He adds that the feeling of seeing a scene he was proud of disappear will likely not be a one-time experience.
“You want a certain performance to be in it, and it’s not. That’s something you have to live with when you make movies.”
Sequel Picks Up Where Wembley Left Off
Precisely the material that was cut is part of the reason Lionsgate confirmed a sequel this spring. ‘Michael Part 2’ is in development and is planned to pick up where the first film ends, covering Jackson’s life from 1988 onwards. The sequel is expected to premiere in late 2027 or early 2028.
Jaafar Jackson has not yet received a concrete date or role announcement, but he is ready.
“Whatever decision is made, I’m more than ready to jump back into it,” he says.
He also confirms that the sequel will address the allegations – but this time from his uncle’s perspective.
“I think the second film will provide even more insight from his point of view,” Jaafar Jackson says. “Ultimately, the allegations are always someone else’s story.”
Fuqua, who is expected to return to the director’s chair, has previously stated that the sequel will not “sensationalize” Michael Jackson’s life but will maintain focus on the man behind the music.
