The world was watching — and Michael delivered.
After making its global debut, the teaser trailer for Michael, Lionsgate’s upcoming biopic about the King of Pop, soared to 116.2 million views worldwide in its first 24 hours, according to new data from WaveMetrix.
That number officially makes it the largest 24-hour trailer launch in Lionsgate history — and the most-viewed trailer for any music biopic or concert movie ever.
The Michael teaser outperformed some heavy hitters, including Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (96.1M), Bob Marley: One Love (60.1M), Bohemian Rhapsody (57.6M), and A Complete Unknown, the upcoming Bob Dylan film starring Timothée Chalamet (47.2M).
The trailer first dropped on the morning of Lionsgate’s earnings day and quickly took over timelines, pulling in over 30 million views in just its first six hours — 50% higher than the six-hour debut of John Wick: Chapter 4.
Now, with 116.2 million views in a single day, Michael isn’t just a trailer — it’s an event.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), the biopic will chronicle Michael Jackson’s rise from child prodigy to global icon, exploring both his unmatched artistry and the humanity behind his superstardom. The script comes from three-time Oscar nominee John Logan, who previously penned Gladiator and Skyfall.
Leading the film is Jaafar Jackson, the late icon’s nephew, in a performance that’s already generating major buzz. The cast also includes Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, and Miles Teller as Jackson’s longtime attorney John Branca — along with Larenz Tate, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Jessica Sula, Liv Symone, Kendrick Sampson, and KeiLyn Durrel Jones rounding out the ensemble.
As we previously reported, Michael was initially envisioned as a single, epic four-hour film. Lionsgate later considered splitting it into two parts, though the plan was complicated by legal restrictions tied to a previous settlement involving the Jackson estate — resulting in reshoots and a tightened focus on Jackson’s 1980s rise to superstardom.
Still, Lionsgate executives have teased the possibility of expanding the story further depending on audience response.
Moviegoers can catch the Michael teaser in theaters next weekend attached to Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.
The Antoine Fuqua-directed, Graham King-produced biopic hits theaters on April 24, 2026, with Lionsgate distributing domestically, Kino Films handling Japan, and Universal Pictures releasing the film internationally.