Already GOATed: ‘Michael’ smashes record for most-viewed trailer for a biopic

The trailer has racked up over 116.2 million views and counting globally since its release on Thursday (Nov. 6).

There’s only one “King of Pop,” and now he’s got another record to claim as his own.

The teaser trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” has surpassed trailers for films centered on Taylor Swift and Bob Marley to become the most-viewed trailer for any music biopic ever.

According to WaveMetrix, the teaser trailer, which arrived on Thursday (Nov. 6), has already garnered over 116.2 million views globally in its first 24 hours of release, breaking not only the biopic record but also the record for concert movies and Lionsgate’s overall record for a trailer debut. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” previously held the record with 96.1 million views, followed by the trailer to “Bob Marley: One Love” at 60.1 million views.

Now the crown belongs to MJ.

The film, which reportedly could be split into two parts, is directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) and stars Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his debut film as his uncle. Surrounding Jaafar will be Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Larenz Tate and more. The film is set to arrive in theaters and IMAX on April 24, 2026.

When the film was announced and principal filming began, Jaafar took to Instagram to share his thoughts on stepping into perhaps the most famous shoes of all.

“I’m humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I’ll see you soon,” he wrote on Instagram in 2023. Since then, he’s shared still images of him hitting his uncle’s famous high point stance, a poster for the film, and the trailer.

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The movie’s official synopsis reads: “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. This is where his story begins.”

As far as fan demand goes, Lionsgate execs believe they can happily deliver even more “Michael” if everything works out. Execs saw Fuqua’s director’s cut, which reportedly ran over three and a half hours, and came away with high praise.

“While we’re not yet ready to confirm plans for a second film, I can tell you that the creative team is hard at work making sure that we’re in a position to deliver more Michael soon after we release the first film,” Adam Fogelson, chair of the studio’s Motion Picture Group, said. “Since the last time we were together on an earnings call, we have now had the great pleasure of seeing the director’s cut of the first film, and it is exceptional.”