Michael: More of a Fairy Tale Than a Myth? [Cine Preview]

Title: Michael
Year: 2026
Country: USA, UK
Runtime: 127 minutes
Genre: Drama
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jafar Jackson, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Giuliano Cruvaldi
Release Date: May 13, 2026
Rating: 12+

Just like everything in the world, every story has its light and shadow.

Even fairy tales for children often have original versions that are bizarre or dark. In fact, the trend of “dark fairy tales” emerged as a social phenomenon in the 2000s.

It is even more so for stories based on the real lives of actual people, especially when that person was a global icon who lived through a turbulent era.

Following the film’s release, aggressive criticism poured in from international critics. They argue that despite being a biopic, the movie distorts the truth by ignoring the various facets of his life and exaggerating only the glamorous parts.

This criticism is fueled by the absence of key figures who should have naturally appeared, such as soulmates Diana Ross and Elizabeth Taylor, or his sister Janet Jackson, who was the most famous solo artist in the family after Michael Jackson.

Reports that these individuals refused to appear or be mentioned, along with rumors that some relatives took a rigid stance in distancing themselves from the film, have further negatively impacted the work’s evaluation and value.

A Controversial Work Born from Hardship

Perhaps the very idea of making a movie about Michael Jackson, who is already remembered as a legend despite the recent past, was a risky gamble from the start.

Considering the massive fame, the endless stories and buzz, the heavy controversies, and his sudden death, any perspective or narrative chosen would likely result in a product that feels insufficient or unsatisfying to some.

According to behind-the-scenes stories, the original version, which had a significant portion of filming completed, reportedly dealt with more troubling issues. However, due to legal problems and requests from related figures that surfaced late in production, the film underwent an inevitable change in direction and reshoots to complete the final version.

The movie depicts Michael Jackson’s life from his childhood up to the release of the album Bad in the late 1980s, which can be considered his absolute peak.

As a result, the released film has become so flat and simple that it feels more like a fairy tale than a myth, but it seems to have unintentionally reached a wise destination.

After all, what the general public primarily expects from this movie are the familiar hit songs and the “glamorous” image of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

The King of Pop Returns to the Stage

Positive evaluations seem to prevail regarding the acting of the two young actors who recreated the superstar.

Both deliver impressive performances that make it hard to believe this is their first film appearance.

While it may be hard to define Jafar Jackson’s acting by traditional standards, the sweat and effort he poured into the stage performances are clearly visible.

Particularly impressive is the outstanding talent of Giuliano Cruvaldi, who plays the young Michael. He serves as a crucial driver that immerses the audience in the movie from the very beginning.

It is also surprising that Antoine Fuqua, who has mainly directed sensory and bold action films like Replacement Killers (1998), Shooter (2007), and The Equalizer (2014), is the director. However, if you consider that both violence and choreography are ultimately about how coolly human movement is displayed on screen, there is a clear commonality.

In fact, the feast of dazzling cinematography and editing, unfolding atop a detailed and realistic recreation of the past, blends with the pop masterpieces to guarantee visual enjoyment.

In most countries where it has already premiered, the film is consistently ranking number one on opening day and writing new records as the highest-grossing music biopic in history.

Now, many are curious about which parts of Michael Jackson’s life will be recreated and in what atmosphere in the upcoming sequels. Only when the rest of the story is revealed will a complete evaluation of the movie Michael be finished.

Among the many controversies that followed Michael Jackson during his life, conflict with his family played a large role. In particular, the conflict with his third oldest brother, Jermaine Jackson (left in photo), who was a co-vocalist and bassist during the Jackson 5 era, frequently made headlines.

Jermaine Jackson was also the first in the family to start solo activities, releasing the album Jermaine in 1972.

While not comparable to Michael, he enjoyed his own fame with several hits during this period. In Korea, the original song “When the Rain Begins to Fall” became most famous because the six-member co-ed group “Seoul Family” covered it as “Now” (이제는).

Jermaine Jackson was reportedly quite active in the film’s production, and Jafar Jackson (right in photo), who plays Michael Jackson, is his son.

Born in 1996, Jafar released a single in 2019 with dreams of becoming a singer. Ironically, a formal album he attempted to produce around that time was rejected by record labels because his voice was too similar to his uncle Michael’s.

When the movie Michael began, Jafar even practiced mimicking other uncles’ voices to land the role, and he eventually succeeded.

After being cast, he reportedly spent nearly two years in grueling effort and practice to recreate his uncle’s unique movements, vocalizations, expressions, and habits, both in daily life and on stage.

He also confessed that he sang many of the songs himself rather than just lip-syncing, striving to be recognized as an actor in his own right, not just as Michael Jackson’s nephew.