Above is our first real look at Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, starring as the iconic musician in Antoine Fuqua’s biopic, which has started production.
As you can see, the resemblance is uncanny, but we should note that Jackson’s appearance, um, shall we say, “evolved” in the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s — Jaafar will be donning a lot of makeup in this one. The above still looks like it might be “Bad” era Michael Jackson, circa 1988.
Judging by the recent casting of an actor to play young Michael Jackson, the film will also tackle Jackson’s traumatizing upbringing, but how far will the Jackson family, who are overseeing this film, let Fuqua show just how horrifically abusive his father Joe was?
To say this will be a controversial film would be an understatement. I’m also predicting it’ll be a major hit with audiences. If you look past all of the drama that transpired in Jackson’s life, and there was plenty of it, you can’t deny his immense worldwide popularity.
Fuqua is just asking for it by making this film, it’s a ballsy move, and he’ll be scurrying through landmines depicting the latter half of Jackson’s life. The Jackson family giving firm approval for this film to happen means that this could be a biased depiction of the late singer’s controversies.
In addition to Jaafar Jackson, the movie co-stars Nia Long as MJ’s mother, with Colman Domingo playing his controversial father, Joe. None other than Miles Teller will be playing his long-time lawyer (and the film’s producer) John Branca.
Three-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan penned the script. Lionsgate is releasing the film, which I’ve heard is titled “Man in the Mirror,” on April 18, 2025.
While James L. Brooks teased last year that "we'll soon be seeing" Jack Nicholson, 89, act again, and that he was "reading scripts," that idea has now been shut down by his close friend Michael Douglas, 82.