The Michael Jackson Movie's Runtime & Reception Leave a Lot to Be Desired

Antoine Fuqua's Michael movie aims to chronicle the life of the King of Pop, but its scope is more selective than many originally anticipated. The 2026 musical biopic will release on April 24 and covers Michael Jackson's life, beginning with his start as part of the Jackson 5 to his early career as a solo artist in the '80s.

After a troubling production and significant cuts, Michael ends around the time of the singer's "Bad" era, meaning the story ends before the most controversial chapter of Michael Jackson's life. This creative decision affects the movie's runtime and overall storytelling, as it paints a picture of Jackson's early years and rise to global success without looking at the full scope of his career. Michael has received some negative critical reviews already, which doesn't bode well for fans.

Michael's Early Reviews Are Troubling

Approximately 122 critics have already reviewed Michael on Rotten Tomatoes, and so far, the movie has earned a rating of 36%. It has received some consistent criticism, mostly aimed at the film's story. Many critics noted that Michael fails to offer meaningful insight into its subject, which left the movie feeling "overly sanitized," something that Paris Jackson also indicated. Several reviews describe it as avoiding the darker, more controversial aspects of Jackson's childhood and career (including child abuse allegations), resulting in what some have called "shallow" and "feature-length publicity."

The decision to omit key controversies has been especially divisive; while some argue it allows the film to function as an accurate look at that period of Jackson's life, others consider it a significant narrative omission. Still, the movie's early reviews are not uniformly negative. There's been specific praise directed at Jaafar Jackson, who plays the titular pop star as an adult. Reviewers widely agree that Jaafar Jackson gives a standout performance as his late uncle and embodies the singer's voice, movement, and stage presence perfectly.

Michael's musical sequences have also received praise; after all, Michael Jackson's music is still as catchy and culturally significant now as it was at his peak in the '80s and '90s. The high-energy, well-executed sequences are noted as a particular high point in Michael. Add to that the movie's "polished presentation," and the result still might be a good watch. However, it is troubling that Michael has been labeled a hollow, trope-ridden biopic.

How Long is the Michael Jackson Movie?

Michael covers roughly 21 years of Michael Jackson's life, beginning with Jackson 5. Coleman Domingo plays Joseph Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, and Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson's mother. Jamal R. Henderson, Tre Horton, Rhyan Hill, Joseph David-Jones, and Jessica Sula play his siblings, though Janet Jackson, the King of Pop's elder sister, is notably absent from the film. Michael clocks in at 127 minutes after sweeping cuts significantly reduced the runtime.

Production completed in early 2025 and the original runtime roughly hit four hours, though this was later trimmed down to three and a half hours. The biopic then underwent extensive post-production shaping so the filmmakers could condense the massive amount of material into a more viable format. 127 minutes is by no means a shocking runtime; Bohemian Rhapsody clocked in at 134 minutes, and Rocket Man ran for 121 minutes, but Michael's difficult production highlights just how much material was cut or reshot.

These cuts weren't just about pacing and accuracy, as the Michael creators also had to contend with legal and narrative constraints. Early versions of the film included a scene set during a 1993 police investigation of Michael Jackson, but this had to be removed, and the biopic's entire third act was restructured. With so much left on the cutting room floor, there have been talks of potentially expanding the film into a multipart story, but nothing official has been confirmed.

The runtime and reception of Lionsgate's new biopic are deeply connected. The decision to condense a once-comprehensive story, and to side-step certain aspects of Jackson's life, has made the film more contentious. Whether future movies will fill those gaps remains to be seen, but until then, audiences can watch Michael when it releases on April 24, 2026.