In recent years, numerous biopic have been created in an attempt to carry on the memory of immortalized superstars in history! From the Temptations, Whitney Houston and even Elvis Presley have made it to the big screen. Validity can only be judged by those who personally knew the star; however, to recreate the story of the life of a superstar is difficult, and some would argue; impossible. Well, Lionsgate studios is apparently up for the challenge. In 2023, the studio will produce a biopic of the King of Pop! That’s right; a Michael Jackson biopic that will highlight the highs and lows of the legendary singer and performer.
Simply titled, Michael, the biopic needs no punch line or gimmick. Some critics claim this will be the most sought after biopic in history. And rightfully so! Michael Jackson was by far the undisputed King of Pop! There will never be another, a comparison or equal. Legendary director Antoine Fuqua has the enormous task of telling the King’s story, and distributing the late singer’s biography to the masses!
The first question that arose was, “Who will play Michael”? After an extensive search and many auditions, it was apparently clear that Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson was the only one that could fit the bill. Similar in physique and stature, Jermaine Jackson’s son, Jaafar was the obvious choice.
Set to begin production in mid 2023, Michael will be produced by Graham King and co-executive producers of Michael Jackson estate, John McClain and John Branca. The script will be written by 3x Oscar nominee John Logan, who stated he was thrilled by Jaafar playing the role of Michael Jackson.
Jaafar Jackson was blessed with the ultimate co-sign, Katherine Jackson (Michael Jackson mother), Jaafar’s grandmother gave her consent and praise in saying, “Jaafar embodies my son”. Wow, that speaks volume, in itself! Michael Jackson, an icon in every sense of the word, passed away unexpectedly in Los Angeles, California on June 25, 2009. Michael Jackson was preparing for his This Is It, residency concert tour which was slated to do 10 concerts in London, to be followed by shows in Paris, NY and Dubai. The tour was predicted to break concert records worldwide according to AEG Live, the organizer of the historic concerts.
One thing is certain, Jaafar has a tremendous challenge of following in his Uncle’s footsteps. The name “Michael Jackson”, evokes so many emotions and he is still today regarded as the greatest performer to ever grab a mic.
