Who directed the 2026 Michael Jackson biopic Michael?

Antoine Fuqua directed the 2026 Michael biopic.

Fuqua is the filmmaker behind this American musical biographical drama about singer Michael Jackson. The film follows Jackson from his early years with the Jackson 5 in the 1960s through the late 1980s, ending around the beginning of the Bad tour. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew, portrays him as an adult, while Juliano Krue Valdi plays the young Michael.

The project developed over several years. Producer Graham King secured the rights and attached screenwriter John Logan in 2019; Lionsgate formally announced the film in 2022, and Fuqua became director in January 2023. The production was delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike before principal photography took place in 2024.

Fuqua is sometimes confused with other directors linked to music-centered or historical films, but Baz Luhrmann, Ryan Coogler, and Spike Lee did not direct Michael. The film's direction is also distinct from its screenplay: Logan wrote it, while Fuqua directed the finished production.