Jaafar Jackson says ‘Michael’ sequel will explore child abuse allegations
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of sexual abuse.
Jaafar Jackson said the upcoming sequel to Michael will offer more insight into the child sexual abuse allegations against his late uncle, Michael Jackson, from the pop star’s perspective.
In an interview with GQ Middle East, Jaafar, who portrayed Michael in the 2026 biopic, said he hopes the follow-up will allow audiences to hear more of his uncle’s side of the story.
“I think the second film will give even more insight from his point of view, because at the end of the day, [the allegations] are always from someone else’s,” Jaafar said. “It’s someone else’s story. It’s someone else’s idea of what it is.”
He added that the Jackson family has long felt that Michael’s perspective has been missing from discussions about the allegations.
“And that’s really the issue we’ve been having as a family—not having Michael’s voice being heard,” Jaafar said. “I think that’s very, very important, especially in the late years.”
The first Michael film did not cover the allegations. The biopic ended in 1988, before the first public allegations against the singer emerged in 1993. According to Variety, the original film had initially included material addressing the allegations, but those scenes were ultimately removed during reshoots.
Jaafar said the sequel will provide an opportunity to explore a later period of Michael’s life that was not included in the first movie.
Michael faced allegations of child sexual abuse beginning in the 1990s, which he denied during his lifetime. In 2005, he was acquitted of all criminal charges in a separate child molestation trial.
The allegations have remained a major part of the discussion surrounding Jackson’s legacy, including claims made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who later alleged that Jackson sexually abused them as children. Jackson's estate has denied the allegations.
The first Michael film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, focused on Michael's childhood, rise to fame and career through the 1980s. Jaafar, the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine Jackson, played the pop star throughout the film.
The movie became a major box-office success, surpassing $1 billion worldwide, making the planned sequel one of the most anticipated upcoming music biopics.
The sequel is expected to continue the story beyond the events covered in the first movie. Film studio Lionsgate has indicated that production could begin toward the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
