Jaafar Jackson told reporters that a sequel to Michael is in early development, and that his uncle's story is "not finished being told." Given how the first film landed, I believe him.
Michael has crossed $441 million worldwide, which is a staggering number for a biographical drama. That figure did not happen by accident. Jaafar began preparing for the role back in 2021, putting in nearly five years of acting coaching, movement work, and deep study before cameras ever rolled. That is a commitment you rarely see from any actor, let alone someone stepping into shoes this iconic.
Variety called his performance one that "nails the look, the voice, the electrostatic moves." That kind of praise from a trade outlet is not given lightly, especially for a biopic where audiences already know exactly what the real person looked and sounded like. But the highest compliment came from somewhere closer to home. His grandmother Katherine hugged him after seeing the film and told him how proud she was. If you know anything about the Jackson family, you know that moment carries more weight than any review.
What makes a sequel interesting, rather than just inevitable, is the sheer volume of story left to tell. Michael Jackson's life had so many distinct chapters that a single film was always going to leave things on the table. The first movie had to cover the early years, the rise, the cultural dominance. A sequel could go deeper into the later periods, the creative reinvention, the complications, the legacy that kept reshaping itself.
The real question is whether Jaafar can carry a second film with the same intensity. Based on what he delivered the first time around, I think the answer is yes. Five years of preparation gave him something that felt lived in rather than performed. That foundation does not disappear between movies.
If you have not seen Michael yet, watch it before any sequel news starts dominating the conversation. This is not one of those situations where the buzz outran the movie. Jaafar earned that $441 million the hard way, and whatever comes next will be built on the credibility he already established.
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