‘Michael 2’ Gets Release Window After Its Massive $1 Billion Run

Lionsgate is moving quickly on Michael 2 after Michael became the highest-grossing music biopic in history. The Michael Jackson film has earned more than $1 billion worldwide, making it Lionsgate’s biggest global release to date. Adam Fogelson, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, recently said that the studio is targeting a production start in late 2026 or early 2027. He said the current plan calls for Michael 2 to reach theaters in late 2027 or the first half of 2028. Fogelson shared the timeline during Lionsgate’s Aug. 6 fiscal first-quarter earnings call. The follow-up will not begin from scratch. Fogelson said the team already has major music sequences filmed during production of Michael that are likely to appear in the next film. He said Lionsgate is focused on making a sequel that meets the scale audiences expect without wasting money on material the studio already has. Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, ends during the 1988 Wembley Stadium stop of the Bad World Tour. Its final card reads, “His Story Continues,” leaving room for the sequel to cover more of Jackson’s career. Lionsgate has not announced a budget ...