Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Preview:
‘Michael’ has set records for biopic movies on its first weekend.
It topped the domestic box office with $97 million.
Elsewhere, new releases struggled.
It may have arrived laden with controversies about re-shoots and didn’t exactly strike a chord with critics, but audiences have certainly embraced ‘Michael’, the biopic of troubled music superstar Michael Jackson.The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has kicked off its run at the box office as an instant success, earning $97 million for first place.
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The movie’s ticket sales rank as the best start of all time for a biopic, smashing the record set by 2015’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’ ($60 million). And they tower above 2018’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which opened to $51 million. Can it match the latter’s huge run, though? That’s a bigger question. Still, with $217 million globally in one weekend, it’s a solid start.
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Previous champion ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ was pushed down to second place after three weekends in the No. 1 spot. Universal’s animated sequel added $21.2 million, boosting revenues to $384 million domestically and more than $800 million globally.
‘Project Hail Mary’, meanwhile, was third with $13.2 million, a remarkable tally for a film in its sixth weekend of release. So far, the space epic has generated a mighty $305 million in North America and $613 million worldwide.
What about other new releases?
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Besides ‘Michael,’ other new releases fared less well. A24’s thriller ‘Mother Mary’, starring Anne Hathaway as a pop star on the eve of a comeback, earned $1.3 million.
And ‘Lorne’, a documentary about ‘Saturday Night Live’ boss Lorne Michaels, struggled to break out with $70,000 from 248 theaters. The film has collected $426,000 while playing in limited release.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Bruce Talamon.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the top 20 Rock and Roll biopics of all time.
NOTE: Since the term “Rock and Roll” can cover several different genres of music, we are only including movies about musical artists who were known for performing popular music within the rock genre, including jazz, blues, country, rap, etc.
Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White), a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.
(Left) Sam Riley as Ian Curtis in ‘Control’. Photo: The Weinstein Company.
The story of Joy Division’s lead singer Ian Curtis (Sam Riley), from his schoolboy days in 1973 to his suicide on the eve of the band’s first American tour in 1980.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
(L to R) Alia Shawkat as Robin Robins, Riley Keough as Marie Currie, Scout Taylor-Compton as Lita Ford, Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett, and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie in ‘The Runaways’. Photo: Summit Entertainment.
Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), two rebellious teenagers from Southern California, become the frontwomen for the Runaways — the now-legendary group that paved the way for future generations of female rockers. Under the Svengali-like influence of impresario Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), the band becomes a huge success.
Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens in ‘La Bamba’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) becomes an overnight rock ‘n’ roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called “Donna” that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob (Esai Morales), and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly (Marshall Crenshaw).
Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in ‘Ray’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx) went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.
(L to R) Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious and Chloe Webb as Nancy Spungen in ‘SId and Nancy’. Photo: Palace Pictures.
January 1978. After their success in England, the punk rock band Sex Pistols venture out on their tour of the southern United States. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) is forced by his band mates to travel without his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), who will meet him in New York. When the band breaks up and Sid begins his solo career in a hostile city, the turbulent couple definitely falls into the depths of drug addiction.
Paul Dano as Brian Wilson in ‘Love & Mercy’. Photo: Lionsgate.
In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson (Paul Dano and John Cusack) stops touring, produces “Pet Sounds” and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, Wilson, under the sway of a controlling therapist, finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks).
Taron Egerton as Elton John in ‘Rocketman’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The story of Elton John‘s (Taron Egerton) life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell).
(L to R) Reese Witherspoon as June Carter and Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in ‘Walk the Line’.
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash‘s (Joaquin Phoenix) life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, ‘A Complete Unknown’ follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur.
Director Antoine Fuqua’s new biopic ‘Michael’ is a sanitized look at the legendary performer’s career from joining The Jackson 5 in 1964 to beginning the ‘Bad’ tour in 1987. While the film omits quite a bit of the legendary singer’s controversial past, it focuses on his abusive relationship with his father Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, and Michael’s journey to become his own artist and get out from under his father’s control.
While the movie hits on all the important moments in that time-period, it falls into familiar biopic pitfalls by not spending enough time in each moment and really exploring what happened and why it was important to Michael’s story. The film feels rushed at times, and really focuses on his relationship with Joe and leaving The Jackson 5, rather than exploring the moments that made him a superstar performer.
However, despite the messy issues with the script and direction, the film is saved by Jaafar Jackson’s commanding performance. The actor perfectly channels his famous uncle, getting the attitude and personality of Michael pitch perfect, while also illuminating his gentle spirit. But Jackson is truly fantastic in the music and dance sequences, mimicking the King of Pop’s moves flawlessly.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
The film begins in the late 1960s and depicts the humble beginnings of The Jackson 5 and their move from a local band in Indiana to being nationally known. It’s here where we see the beginnings of Joe Jackson’s (Colman Domingo) abusive behavior towards his youngest son, Michael, played in those scenes by Juliano Krue Valdi. As the lead singer of the group, Michael feels the pressure put on him by his father and longs to have a normal childhood, which will be a theme across the singer’s entire life.
Eventually, Joe gets the group signed by Motown Records and they become extremely successful, with the family eventually moving to California. It becomes clear quickly, to both Motown’s Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) and super producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson), that Michael is the true star of The Jackson 5 and they encourage him to go solo, against the wishes of his father. This eventually leads to recording ‘Off the Wall’ and then ‘Thriller’, which suddenly made Michael (now played by Jaafar Jackson) the biggest star in the world.
Joe starts trying to cash in on his son’s sudden success and forces Michael to join his brothers on a Jackson 5 tour, rather than a solo tour to support ‘Thriller’. Now, Michael must finally stand up to his father and make his own decisions if he is to truly become the King of Pop.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The biggest problem with ‘Michael’ is that too much is packed into the film, and it doesn’t leave enough room to truly explore those moments. Montages are used to show us the making of the ‘Thriller’ album and video, as well as his legendary performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary event where he did the Moonwalk for the first time. These moments are so big in Michael’s life and pop culture history, that you could make an entire film based on either one event but instead they are relegated to a quick montage.
I also didn’t understand making such a big deal out of the ‘Victory Tour’ and having that be the centerpiece of the film. Although I understand that since they were focusing on Michael and Joe’s relationship, the final Jackson 5 tour seems like the logical place to have their final confrontation.
But the film does seem odd at times, going out of its way to not include any of the controversial moments that happened later in Jackson’s life, although rumor is that some of those scenes were shot and removed for legal reasons. Also, the movie makes no mention of Janet Jackson, which I don’t understand. Michael’s other sister La Toya is depicted, so while it’s a weird choice to not even mention Janet, or pretend she doesn’t exist, I assume it was also a rights issue.
(L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The movie also makes mention of Michael’s fight with his brother Jermaine, but never explores it and the character of Jermaine basically disappears by the second half of the film, which is weird since the actor playing Michael is Jermaine’s real-life son. Awkward! And while Jackson’s mentors Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones are depicted, no real time is spent to explore their relationships to Michael and their influence on his career. But a scene featuring Joe making a deal with the shady Don King is shoehorned in for no real reason, which again, makes no narrative sense.
Written by John Logan (‘Gladiator‘), the script bites off more than it can chew and again, doesn’t give us enough time to really get to know the character or understand the moments that made him great. However, Jackson’s music is pumped throughout the film, and it really is the soundtrack of our lives. The song choices are excellent and helps navigate us through Michael’s story. And kudos to costume designer Marci Rodgers who captured Michael’s fashion perfectly in every era.
Director Antoine Fuqua is a master of the action genre with films like ‘Training Day’ and the ‘Equalizer’ franchise but seems out of his element here. He clearly has a love and passion for MJ’s legacy and does his best to bring it to the screen in a natural way, but it gets buried by the weight of Jackson’s achievements and his overreaching relationship with his father.
Cast and Performances
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The biopic’s success hinges on the performance of the actor playing Michael Jackson, and Jaafar Jackson is nothing short of brilliant in the role. In fact, Jaafar Jackson was born to play Michael Jackson, quite literally, as he is the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine.
Besides the fact that he has a striking resemblance, Jaafar channels his uncle in the most surprising ways, capturing his soft voice, childlike attitude and walk perfectly. But it’s the musical and dance numbers where Jaafar really shines, and I promise you there will be moments when you forget you are not watching the real Michael. It’s also worth mentioning that Juliano Krue Valdi is great as young Michael and helps Jaafar create a rounded character.
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Oscar nominee Colman Domingo gives a menacing performance as Joe Jackson, and while he steps up to the precipice of playing a caricature rather than a character, he never steps over the line. Joe’s abusive relationship with Michael is the heart of the story, and Domingo brings gravitas exploring the role.
While she has limited screen time, actress Nia Long gives one of the best performances of her career as Michael’s mother, Katherine. As one of Michael’s only friends and a true supporter, Long brings an unconditional love to the role that helps illuminate her connection to her son. Finally, Miles Teller is fine as Michael’s manager and lawyer John Banca, but the role doesn’t give the actor much to do.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Director Antoine Fuqua does the best he can with the material but seems lost at times trying to tell Michael’s complex story. But its Jaafar Jackson’s once in a lifetime performance that really brings the King of Pop to life on screen and makes the film worth seeing for any Michael Jackson fan.
‘Michael’ receives a score of 65 out of 100.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
What is the plot of ‘Michael’?
Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
‘Michael’ producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King about their work on ‘Michael’, developing the project, finding the right actor for the role, working with Jaafar Jackson, what moments from Michael’s life they wanted to focus on, which moments they wish they could have included or spent more time on, creating the costumes, and if Fuqua kept any mementos from the production.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Moviefone: To begin with, Antoine, what was your first reaction to reading John Logan’s screenplay and why you personally wanted to tell Michael’s story on the big screen?
Antoine Fuqua: My first reaction was that it’s a solid screenplay about Michael Jackson. My second reaction was, “Who’s going to play Michael Jackson?” When I met with Graham, he introduced me to Jaafar, and the rest is history as far as that goes. But, yeah, it’s daunting when you read a Michael Jackson script by John Logan. It’s a great script and then we had to find Michael and Jaafar was no question the right choice.
MF: Graham, to that point, I understand that you discovered Jaafar and recommended him to Antoine. At what point did you realize he was the right choice?
Graham King: Over lunch. I had a lunch with Jaafar. I know the family well and I’ve known (his father) Jermaine since 1981. I met with Jaafar and during that lunch, I kept asking him if he was auditioning, because he was channeling Michael. It was very eerie and weird. He kept saying, “I don’t want to be an actor. I’ve got no interest in acting.” I kept saying, “Just be honest with me.” Because obviously I’ve produced a few movies, and you know what it is when you sit down with an actor who wants a job, and I kept thinking it’s reverse psychology. “No, I don’t want to act.” But he really didn’t. Two weeks after that lunch, I said, “If you’re up for it, let’s go through some training and bootcamp.” Kind of like what I put Rami Malek through to play Freddie Mercury, but at a much different level. In fact, the first time he spent a month with Rich + Tone, who were Michael’s choreographers, and they said, “We’re not sure. We’re not confident that he can get these dance moves down.” He called me that night and he said, “Give me some time and then come and see. I’ll show you what I’ve got.” I think it was about a month later, we both went to Hayvenhurst, to the house that he was staying in, which is Michael’s house in Encino. He just blew us away with his dance moves. I mean, he got it down. The only thing he asked for in that month was, he kept saying, “I want mirrors. Just get me long, tall mirrors and let me do my thing.” I mean, look at that performance now. It’s incredible.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
MF: Antoine, can you talk about the first time you did a screen test with Jaafar? Was that when you realized you found your Michael?
AF: Yeah, it was. We did a screen test with Jaafar, and he came out as Michael. It was my first time seeing him in person as Michael, and I was kind of blown away just on his whole presence. That got me right away. Then we put him in front of the camera and started filming him doing different things. He would sing a little bit and dance a little bit. Then me and Graham were sitting there, and we asked Jaafar a question. I can’t remember what it was, but he answered it as if he was Michael and tears started flowing around the room. Our cinematographer was crying. I looked back, he had tears in his eyes. We were all trying to hide it, but he really answered in such an honest, pure way. He’s never acted in his life. I just thought, “This guy’s special.” That was the moment for me. It was just off the cuff. He didn’t know it was coming. I wanted to see if he was in the moment. Was he just here in makeup or was he in the moment? I threw something at him, and he just paused, and he thought about it, and he answered. It was just so beautiful, elegant, honest, and pure. I was like, “This Jaafar is special.”
MF: Graham, why did you want to focus on this specific time in Michael’s life, and how do you think your experience producing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ prepared you to make this movie?
GK: I guess I’ve made a career out of taking these iconic artists or people like Muhammad Ali, Howard Hughes, and Freddie Mercury, obviously, and showing the world a side that they’ve never seen before and humanizing them, these iconic people. I think it’s such a challenge to find that three act structure to make it an entertaining film and not a documentary. You kind of have fun with it. I have fun with it. Of course, there is also the music side, having the rights to Queen’s catalog and now Michael’s catalog, and really digging into the songs we’re going to use and the time periods of the movie. I was at Dodger Stadium in 1984 at the ‘Victory Tour’ when Michael quit. It was the most amazing organic third act drama and conflict moment you could ask for. You couldn’t ask for it any better. A writer couldn’t write it any better than that. I remember talking to Michael’s brothers about it, “Did you know that he was going to do this?” They were like, “No, we had no idea, and we kind of thought he was playing at the time. We didn’t know he was serious.” So that was sitting with John Logan and Antoine and saying, “Let’s head for that moment and make that the pinnacle point of the storytelling and put Joe at the side of the stage,” because he’s going to tell Joe, and he does it in front of 50,000 people at Dodger Stadium.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
MF: Antoine, can you talk about recreating iconic moments in Michael’s life like the making of the ‘Thriller’ video and his performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show and was there any one moment that you wish you had more time to explore?
AF: I mean, everything. Right? Because being a director, you never have enough time. But it’s the quiet moments you got to get just right. It’s really the quiet moments. The bigger moments we know, the performances, and we knew what we needed to do. It was the more quiet, intimate moments that you hope you capture the spirit of Michael in each moment. What’s interesting with Jaafar is that we would try different things to find the right tone, and the right frequency. Again, Jaafar’s never acted before, but he was so good that I would forget. We’d go to Jaafar, try something, and he would nail it. Then we would realize, “This guy has never acted before in his life, and we’re throwing these things at him.” He would come through with flying colors every single time. I don’t remember him missing too many beats at all. But making the bigger moments was magical. Because of the authenticity of the film, it lives in all the real places like Hayvenhurst, we had where he recorded ‘Off the Wall’, where he shot the ‘Thriller’ video, and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where Motown 25 took place, all real places. You get chills whenever you go to those kinds of places and remember those moments. The idea that we had the opportunity to recreate it and do that was a little of an out of body experience at times. It’s a big responsibility to get it just right. So, Graham and I, we really would study what it was and look at what we’re doing and compare it. Because we knew Michael’s audience, they’re going to do that, every little move. So, it was daunting, but exciting and magical. When we shot the ‘Thriller’ video, we had a full moon every night, which was amazing. I’ve never seen a crew more excited about a scene. When I got dropped off on the set, the grips and everybody had on wolf masks, and they were dancing around to ‘Thriller’. It was like this big event. It was like a movie within itself. So, that to me was a special day.
MF: Graham, is there any moment from Michael’s life during this period that you wanted to put in the film but just couldn’t because of time?
GK: Certainly, the ‘Dancing Machine’ era, when Michael was, I think, 16 or 17, around that era. We thought about putting that in. But when you’re making a film, you’ve got to have a certain running time and you can’t tell every story you want to tell, so you’ve got to make sacrifices. That cut from young Michael at the county fair to Michael at the window with Quincy Jones, I think that time cut worked well for our story as opposed to stopping in different times like the ‘Dancing Machine’ era.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Finally, Antoine, can you talk about working with your costume designer Marci Rodgers to recreate all of Michael’s famous outfits for the film, and did you keep a sequenced glove for yourself as a memento?
AF: I got the producer sitting here, I’m not going to tell. No, I didn’t keep anything. I wish I could. I mean, Marci did a great job, but we had a great crew and a great team. They really did their homework, and she did her homework. She would design these jackets, like when he’s holding the Grammys, and the jacket was about 15 pounds. It had all the jewels and everything. I thought, “Did it have to feel this heavy for Jaafar?” It was authentic though. Those were the real Grammys. Those were Michael’s Grammys he’s holding. I mean, the whole crew, they really cared so much about getting it right, every little detail.
‘Michael’ opens in theaters on April 24th.
What is the plot of ‘Michael’?
Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in March and April 2026, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel (Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.
A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Jessie Buckley) is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
After his estranged son gets embroiled in a Nazi plot, self-exiled gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) must return to Birmingham to save his family — and his nation. ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ opens in select theaters on March 6th, and on Netflix March 20th.
On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.
Stephen Graham stars in ‘Heel’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
From Academy Award nominated director Jan Komasa, ‘Heel’ is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy’s unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Milla Jovovich stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
Former war hero Nikki’s (Milla Jovovich) peaceful life is shattered when her daughter is kidnapped. Thrust into the criminal underworld while hunted by cops and military, she must fight to rescue her child.
(L to R) Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker star in ‘For Worse’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
Lauren (Amy Landecker), a newly divorced, sober mom, feels like she has a new lease on life after joining her first acting class and starting a fling with her hot, young scene partner. However, when they attend their Gen Z classmate’s wedding together, things begin to fall apart, and Lauren finds herself behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid. Luckily after a disastrous night she stumbles into a new day and a new beginning.
When Diem’s (Zoe Kosovic) custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s (Maika Monroe) attempts to see her, she discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
A still from the action, sci-fi and adventure film, ‘Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead’, a Blue Harbor Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
300 years after the Big Flood, the legend of an outlawed Storm Rider inspires two rebellious islanders to find out the truth about the origin of their world.
(Center) Josh Duhamel as “Alan” in the Comedy, Family film, ‘Preschool’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
Two determined fathers engage in a comical battle to enroll their kids in an elite preschool, escalating into an absurd competition with unexpected results.
Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a school-teacher-turned-astronaut, wakes up from a coma, alone, on a space station with no memory of who he is or his mission. His memory returns in bursts and he pieces together that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to reverse the impact of a space event that had already hurled our planet into the early stages of an Ice Age. As details of the mission unravel, Grace must call on all of his scientific training and sheer ingenuity, but he might not have to do it alone…
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama star in ‘The Pout-Pout Fish’. Photo: Viva Pictures.
Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama), who had mistaken his home for a junkyard – pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope! Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of the mythical “Shimmer” to grant them a wish, there’s only one problem: someone else is on the hunt…
Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
After her car is towed and she is left with a shocking $21,634 tow bill, an unhoused woman (Rose Byrne) wages a relentless fight to reclaim her car—and her life—exposing a broken system and redefining what it means to persevere against all odds.
(L to R) Director Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs on the set of the documentary ‘Marc by Sofia’. Photo: A24.
An intimate, unconventional portrait of Marc Jacobs, crafted by Sofia Coppola to capture the genius and singular universe of the iconic American designer.
(L to R) Grace (Avantika), Princess (Lana Condor), Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), and Zoe (Iris Apatow) in ‘Pretty Lethal’. Photo: Amazon.
A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.
Alpha (Mélissa Boros), a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘ and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AIinsanity. ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
A woman (Zazie Beetz) answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Johnny Pemberton as “Doug Nelson” in the Action, Comedy, Horror film, ‘Mermaid’. Photo courtesy of Utopia.
A Percocet-addicted ‘Florida Man’ finds a wounded mermaid at his lowest point. Fascination becomes a drug infused, one sided relationship — sending him further into decline. When word spreads about his secret, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in ‘Outcome’, premiering April 10, 2026 on Apple TV.
Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), Hollywood’s poster child since age six, is not okay. When he learns about an extortion plot tied to a mysterious video, Reef preemptively sets out on a redemption tour to make amends, confront his demons, and avoid getting canceled.
(L to R) Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson in ‘Beast’. Photo: Lionsgate.
A commercial fisherman struggling to provide for his family and avenge his brother’s death fights in a mixed martial-arts match against a dangerous opponent. Starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson.
A scene from 2026’s ‘Faces of Death’. Photo: Shudder.
A moderator on an internet video-sharing platform stumbles across a potential snuff film ring hidden in the depths of the site’s content. Are these gruesome videos merely a morbid work of shock-value fiction, or something all too horribly real?
(L to R) Anna (Halle Bailey) and Michael (Regé-Jean Page) in ‘You, Me & Tuscany’, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo: Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures.
Free-spirited Italian chef (Halle Bailey) and reserved British lawyer (Regé-Jean Page) embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.
Oil tycoon Merriell Sunday Sr. and renowned adventurer Hollis Bannister have disappeared without a trace. Their last known location is northern Alaska. Ellie Bannister and Merriell Sunday Jr., set out to search for their missing fathers and the truth behind what made them vanish. As the rescue team heads deeper into the heart of this frozen landscape, danger mounts. Something has taken notice of their trespassing expedition…and that prehistoric something is now stalking them…hunting them.
Focus Features will release ‘Lorne’ in theaters on April 17th.
From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of ‘20 Feet From Stardom‘ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?‘, comes ‘Lorne’, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
In the aftermath of a bank robbery, interim sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) uncovers a criminal conspiracy at the heart of his small-town Minnesota community.
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The story of Michael Jackson’s (Jaafar Jackson) life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.
A woman (Charlize Theron) testing her limits in the Australian wilderness is suddenly ensnared in a deadly game with a ruthless predator. ‘APEX’ debuts on Netflix April 24th.
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Per the official blurb: “The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before.”
(L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.Nia Long as Katherine Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Bill Skarsgård in ‘The Crow.’ Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
Preview:
Lionsgate brought the likes of ‘The Crow’ and ‘Borderlands’ to CinemaCon.
Stars including Henry Cavill and Halle Berry promoted their new movies.
The studio revealed several movies that have yet to lock down release dates.
Following a somewhat subdued and honestly lacking 2023 presentation, Lionsgate has a much more packed release schedule this year.
With movies such as the new take on ‘The Crow’, video game adaptation ‘Borderlands’ and an actual update on ‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’ –– there is plenty for the company to drum up excitement for.
But before talking about the movies coming in 2024, there was a chance to tease even further in the future, with confirmation of ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton adapting the ‘Naruto’ manga and anime, the third ‘Now You See Me’ in development with Ruben Fleischer directing and, even more intriguingly, Jason Blum’s Blumhouse working on a new ‘Blair Witch Project’ and Margot Robbie intending to make a ‘Monopoly’ movie with her LuckyChap company.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ opens in theaters on April 19th. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith.
The upcoming release of Guy Ritchie’s World War II based-on-truth spy action thriller gave the company the chance to also tease his early 2025 release, which we now know is called ‘In The Grey’ and features criminals who work in a gray area of the world, somewhere between right and wrong.
Henry Cavill was brought out on stage to promote ‘Ministry’ and ‘In The Grey’, which he’s also appearing in. ‘In The Grey’ will see him once more appearing alongside ‘Ministry’s Eiza Gonzalez, with the addition of Jake Gyllenhaal and Rosamund Pike. It’s a heist thriller that looks slick and fun.
And because he’s Mr. Lionsgate right now, Cavill also talked up the ‘Highlander’ reboot movie series that has Chad Stahelski in the director’s chair.
According to Cavill, the new movies will dig much deeper into the lore of the characters and the world in ways the previous films did not. “I’m a lover of the original movies, for better or for worse, and it’s one of those things where when I was reading the script for the first time I wasn’t quite too sure where they were going to go with it.”
He also teases that, “If you thought you’ve seen me do sword work before, you haven’t seen anything.” Showoff!
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ opens next week on April 19th, ‘In The Grey’ will be in theaters on January 17, 2025. The ‘Highlander’ movie has yet to score a date.
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The presentation then moved on to a quick look at…
Director Renny Harlin’s ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1.’ Photo: Lionsgate Films.
The reboot of the horror franchise comes from Renny Harlin and kicks off a fresh trilogy.
This first new movie follows what happens when a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest sees their car break down and is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
A trailer was shown, but you can see the previously released version below.
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‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ will be in theaters on May 17th.
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Onwards to what the studio is no doubt hoping will be one of its heavy hitters in an era where video game adaptations are ruling the genre roost…
Bill Skarsgård in ‘The Crow.’ Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
The presentation for the supernatural thriller remake begins with a lot of talk about how the new movie draws more from James O’Barr’s graphic novel source material more closely than the 1994 adaptation.
With Rupert Sanders directing this one, the cast includes Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs and Danny Huston in the story of a couple who are murdered when the woman’s past catches up to her, only for the guy to be brought back to mystical life to take violent revenge on the criminals responsible.
The new trailer for the movie played to the room, which vastly improved on the first. It’s a lot grittier and more violent and spends a little more time building up the relationship between Skarsgård and Twigs and then being told, “The Crow will guide you to put the wrong things right. Kill them. Kill them all…”
We watch our hero getting into impressive scraps and needing to rebuild his body after a nasty encounter with traffic. Could this turn around word on the new movie?
It’s the story of a family who have been haunted by an evil presence for years –– or at least, that’s what their mother claims –– begins to question the truth of their situation. Berry talked about how she’s an adrenaline junkie who grew up loving ‘The Shining’ and looked to be part of a story she’s never seen before.
And she also mentioned going Full Method to play an overprotective mother who lives with her kids in a cabin in the woods –– including learning to skin a squirrel.
The movie features Dave Bautista as an assassin who falls for Sofia Boutella and looks to start a family. But then alas! He’s diagnosed with a fatal disease, so to help those around him avoid the pain of a long illness, he takes out a contract on his own life… until he learns he was misdiagnosed and learns that the contract is still valid –– and a lot of his former colleagues (including an enthusiastic killer played by old ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ pal Pom Klementieff) are still looking to collect.
‘Day Shift’s’ J.J. Perry is behind this one, and it looks fun, but it has yet to confirm a release date.
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Now, to one people might have something to say about…
‘Flight Risk’
A thriller directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg? Yeah, surely that won’t be controversial.
Still, the film, which features Wahlberg as a scenery-chewing mob hitman who takes over piloting a charter flight transporting a prisoner (Topher Grace) to New York to stand trial had a footage reel. The biggest thing to draw attention appeared to be Wahlberg’s accent and hair…
‘Flight Risk’ is still being edited, so it has yet to announce a release slot.
It’s the story of Ansari’s struggling Los Angeles-based assistant, who is visited by a “budget guardian angel” (how could Reeves be a budget anything?), who helps him find meaning and value in his life. And how is that accomplished? A body-swap twist with Rogen’s wealthier sort, so both can see how the other half lives.
When you have Ansari behind your movie, you naturally have him come out on stage to be funny, and so he does, poking fun at Henry Cavill and how theater owners (the primary crowd here) frequent strip clubs in Vegas.
He also tells a story about Keanu Reeves –– a man who has survived ‘Matrix’ and ‘John Wick’ movies ending up on crutches while shooting this film… by tripping on a rug on his way back to his trailer. He kept on working, shooting everything bar one dance sequence, for which Ansari, in a moment of genuine gratitude, described him as an actual angel.
‘Good Fortune’ is another movie without a release date in place.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The ‘Wick’ spin-off starring Ana de Armas as an assassin has been the subject of much speculation, most pointedly because it has been delayed more than once.
After little to talk about on this one last year, the company had more to say on this one, including extra details on how the release delays allowed director Len Wiseman to go in an add extra action scenes.
The first trailer for the film screened which, to no-one’s surprise, includes Reeves’ appearance as John Wick in the movie. And, also less than surprising, it factors in the High Table, the Continental, and some key cast from the franchise. From the looks of it, Reeves’ Wick will be training de Armas’ character.
‘Ballerina’ will land in theaters on June 6th next year.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael.’ Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur
It’s still in production, so director Antoine Fuqua couldn’t make it to Vegas, but Lionsgate still wanted to make sure we all know the Michael Jackson biopic is on the way next year. Producer Graham King (who has no little experience with musical movies about big stars after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’) was on hand to offer a first look. Behind-the-scenes buzz-builder ahoy!
King revealed that the movie will feature more than 30 songs from Jackson’s oeuvre, and that it’ll dig into various aspects of his life in music and beyond. How far it’ll probe still remains to be seen, but King seemed confident in the filmmakers’ approach.
‘Michael’ is due to arrive on April 18th next year.
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Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International’s Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael.’
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael.’ Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur
Preview:
The first picture from ‘Michael’ is online.
Jaafar Jackson plays his famous uncle in the biopic.
Antoine Fuqua is in the director’s chair for the movie.
While the story of Michael Jackson’s life has been brought to screens in TV movies and specials, the somewhat controversial pop icon has yet to get the full big screen treatment.
That changes next year when the biopic simply titled ‘Michael’ arrives on our screens. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, it’ll follow the life of the King of Pop and features Jaafar Jackson –– nephew of the late star –– playing his uncle for most of the running time.
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We have our first look at Jackson in the role, performing “Man in the Mirror” from the 1992-1993 “Dangerous” Tour.
Producer Graham King had this to say about the casting choice:
“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael. He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”
What’s the story of ‘Michael’?
Michael Jackson in ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Written by John Logan and produced by ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s King, ‘Michael’ follows the complicated man who becomes the King of Pop, from triumphs to tragedies, from his human side and personal struggles to his creative genius.
We’re promised an “honest” portrayal of the man, but given the close family connections, that’s always a complicated issue. The current Bob Marley biopic ‘One Love’ has been accused of shaving off some of the music legend’s rougher images.
Who else is in the movie?
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International’s Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael.’
Alongside Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo is playing his father Joe with Nia Long as his mother, Katherine. Juliano Valdi will be the younger Michael, Miles Teller has scored the role of powerful entertainment lawyer John Branca, who shepherded Jackson’s career as he transitioned from a singing sensation in a boy band to world-renowned mega star.
We’re sure there will be more casting announcements to come, but with the film not due until next year, expect them to arrive in drip feed fashion.
Here’s what director Antoine Fuqua said about the casting choice:
“We have assembled an incredible team of artists for this project –– hair & makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything –– and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film. But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it.”
When will ‘Michael’ be in theaters?
‘Michael’ is going to be released on April 18th, 2025.
Michael Jackson in ‘Moonwalker.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International’s Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael.’
Preview:
Colman Domingo will play Joe Jackson in new biopic ‘Michael’.
Antoine Fuqua is directing the movie.
‘Michael’ is set for release in April next year.
With his first Oscar nomination under his belt for playing real-life Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin in Netflix biopic ‘Rustin’, it seems Colman Domingo is not done playing historical figures.
Jackson was the father of the brood that gave us the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson and became infamous for his hard-driving treatment of his talented children. Michael in particular recalled his physical and emotional abuse, but also credited his father’s behavior as partly responsible for his success.
He’ll certainly be a challenging role to play. Jaafar Jackson, who is the actual nephew of Michael, is on board to play the role of his uncle for the majority of the movie.
Michael Jackson in ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Written by John Logan and produced by ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s Graham King, ‘Michael’ follows the complicated man who becomes the King of Pop, from triumphs to tragedies, from his human side and personal struggles to his creative genius.
Who else is in the movie?
Alongside Jaafar Jackson and now Domingo, Juliano Valdi is playing the younger Michael.
Domingo casting: the actor, director and producer speak
‘The Equalizer 3’ director Antoine Fuqua.
Here’s what Domingo said about the new role and his co-star:
“I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon. Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation. After seeing him in rehearsal, my mind was blown. There is something divine about the way that Jaafar is channeling his late uncle. His talent and embodiment of Michael’s essence is simply on another level.”
Director Antoine Fuqua added:
“Colman has such incredible range – he puts in the work to deeply inhabit his characters and understand their true essence and motivation. I’m grateful to be working with an actor with his passion and ability to portray the many sides of Joe Jackson: a husband, a father and a manager.”
Producer Graham King had this comment:
“Few actors present themselves with Colman’s screen presence and force of will. We’re so fortunate to have an actor with his undeniable talent portraying Joe Jackson on screen. We couldn’t be more excited to have him join us on this journey.”
When will ‘Michael’ be in theaters?
The movie is scheduled for release via Universal on April 18th, 2025
Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in ‘Rustin.’ Photo: David Lee/Netflix.
When Antoine Fuqua took on directing ‘Emancipation’ a couple of years ago, he probably imagined a film that could attract awards attention while sensitively but honestly tackling a difficult subject.
Jackson surely needs little introduction. Raised along with his singer siblings by domineering father Joe Jackson, the Indiana native first rose to fame performing with his family as The Jackson 5.
Even beyond the likes of sister Janet, Michael rose to become a huge star, famous for hit songs and dance moves such as the Moonwalk. His videos boasted expensive production values (and directors such as John Landis) and he amassed a huge fortune.
Yet his life was also marked by chaotic decisions, a serious injury plastic surgery on the set of a Pepsi commercial in 1984 that led to him starting to take painkillers, and pedophile accusations that dogged his later years up to his death in 2009 at age 50, from cardiac arrest caused by a cocktail of sedatives.
(L to R) Director Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith behind the scenes of ‘Emancipation,’ premiering December 9, 2022 on Apple TV+.
“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am,” says Fuqua in a statement. “For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work––the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”
“Antoine’s films provide personal perspectives of larger–than–life characters that continuously captivate global audiences,” adds King. “I’m confident that Antoine will make an exceptional and compelling film that will both celebrate and give profound new insights into the life of the King of Pop.”
King and Logan have been trying to put this one together for a few years now, looking to score the same level of success that ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ enjoyed, even though this promises to generate plenty of controversy, especially given the lawsuits and molestation accusations that swirled around the singer’s later life.
Given that filming is planned for later this year, the search is surely already on for an actor––or actors, if it aims to cover his life––to play Jackson. Fuqua has recruited regular collaborator, cinematographer Robert Richardson to work on this one.
Lionsgate is backing the movie, but there’s naturally no word yet on when it might arrive on screens. ‘The Equalizer 3’, meanwhile, will be in theaters on September 1st.
Michael Jackson from the ‘Bad’ music video.
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