Lionsgate confirms production on the second Michael film is set to begin by early 2027 as the studio targets a late 2027 or early 2028 release.

Lionsgate has confirmed that production on the highly anticipated sequel to Michael, the blockbuster biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, is expected to begin by the end of this year or early next year.

The update was shared by Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson during the company’s first-quarter earnings call with financial analysts on Thursday, offering fans their first major insight into the sequel’s production timeline.

Michael sequel production timeline revealed

Speaking during the earnings call, Fogelson said the studio is preparing to start filming the second installment soon.

“We are targeting a production start towards the end of this year or early next,” he said.

He also disclosed the studio’s current release window, indicating that audiences could expect the sequel in late 2027 or during the first half of 2028.

 “I think that end of calendar ’27 and the first half of calendar ’28 would be the current thought of roughly where the movie would go,” Fogelson explained, while adding that Lionsgate is not yet ready to reveal further details.

Previously filmed scenes to be reused

During the call, analysts questioned how profits from the first Michael film would be shared between the Michael Jackson estate and Universal, while also asking whether previously filmed material would reduce the sequel’s production costs.

Fogelson confirmed that several large musical sequences filmed during production of the first movie are expected to appear in the sequel.

 “We do have a number of sequences, particularly some big musical sequences, that were shot previously, that are almost sure to be incorporated,” he said.

However, he stressed that the studio’s priority remains delivering a high-quality follow-up rather than focusing solely on cost savings.

 “That is what the audience is going to want and deserve after the experience we gave them the first time,” he added.

Michael became highest-grossing biopic

Released in 2026, Michael chronicles the life of legendary singer Michael Jackson, following his journey from his childhood with the Jackson 5 during the 1960s through the Bad World Tour in the late 1980s.

The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences and went on to become the highest-grossing biographical film of all time at the worldwide box office.

With production on the sequel now moving forward, Lionsgate aims to build on the remarkable success of the first film while bringing another chapter of Michael Jackson’s story to cinemas.