Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson will play his uncle in the biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua

After premiering for Apple TV+ ‘To Freedom’, an action and suspense drama starring Will Smith, Antoine Fuqua is finishing ‘The Equalizer 3’ with Denzel Washington and is also preparing what will be his next project: a Michael Jackson biopic that will share producer with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, Graham King. The director announced via his Instagram account with a first image that the film already has a protagonist and will be nothing more and nothing less than Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the one who plays the King of Pop.

Singer, songwriter and now actor (although this will be his first role), Jaafar is the son of Jermaine Jackson, the fourth brother of the Jackson family of nine and a member of the Jackson 5. Jaafar, born in 1996, started his musical career at the age of 12 and released his latest single 3 years ago: ‘Got me sing’. The artist proudly shared the same photo of Fuqua on her social networks:

I am humbled and humbled to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all fans around the world, see you soon.

Photo by Jourdynn Jackson pic.twitter.com/Xow9Mkakup

? Jaafar Jackson (@JaafarJackson) January 30, 2023

“I feel overwhelmed and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all his fans around the world, see you soon. Photo by Jourdynn Jackson.

The film, tentatively titled “Michael,” shouldn’t shy away from the controversy surrounding the “most successful music artist of all time”, including allegations of pedophilia that dogged him until he died in 2009 from cardiac arrest caused by an overdose of sedatives. According to rumors, the story will begin with an adult Jackson before chronicling his traumatic childhood and the tumultuous relationship he had with his father.

Also involved in the production are the artist’s executors, John Branca and John McClain, who ensures that the rights to Jackson’s music catalog can be used, but it could also mean vetoes on certain topics to safeguard the singer’s image. Branca and McClain have denounced the HBO documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’, which gives voice to alleged victims of sexual abuse by the singer. They won the trial.

A promising team

For now, the screenplay of “Michael” is signed by John Logan, screenwriter of “Alien: Covenant”, “Spectre”, “Skyfall”, “The Invention of Hugo” or “The Aviator” among many others; and King is also a sure value, since in addition to producing the Freddy Mercury biopic, he has worked on ‘Argo,’ ‘World War Z,’ ‘Ali,’ ‘Gangs of New York,’ and has an Oscar for ‘ The Departed’ by Martin Scorsese. Cinematography will be handled by Robert Richardson (‘Once upon a time in… Hollywood’, ‘Kill Bill’), Lionsgate has the distribution rights in the United States and it seems that Sony will buy them for the international market; no other cast members are known.