Which company distributed Michael internationally?

Universal Pictures distributed Michael internationally.

The arrangement divided the film’s theatrical distribution between two companies. Lionsgate released Michael in the United States, while Universal Pictures International handled international territories. Japan was a notable exception, with Kino Films distributing the movie there under a separate agreement.

This distribution detail can cause confusion because Lionsgate initially owned the project’s global distribution rights after announcing the film. In October 2023, Lionsgate announced that Universal Pictures International would take responsibility for international distribution. Universal therefore was not the U.S. distributor, even though its name appears alongside Lionsgate in international release listings.

Michael is a musical biographical drama directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. It follows Michael Jackson from his Jackson 5 years through the Bad era, with Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson portraying him as an adult. The split-distribution model allowed the film to use different theatrical partners in the domestic and overseas markets.