During the company’s quarterly earnings call, Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson said discussions surrounding a second installment were progressing strongly, with studio executives convinced there remains a vast amount of untold material from Jackson’s life and career.
“We’re really excited about the progress we’re making,” Fogelson said. “All the conversations that we’ve been having with all of the appropriate parties continue to go exceptionally well.”
According to him, one of the key reasons the studio is confident about expanding the story is the sheer scale of Jackson’s career and music catalogue, much of which was not fully explored in the first movie.
“There is a ton of incredibly entertaining Michael Jackson story, and much of the biggest and most popular parts of his music catalog that were not touched upon in the first film,” he added.
Studio Hints at Expanding Jackson Universe
Rather than treating the biopic as a single standalone production, Lionsgate appears to be positioning the project as a larger cinematic narrative capable of revisiting multiple periods of Jackson’s life.
Fogelson suggested the sequel could move both forward and backward through different timelines, exploring major moments that were omitted from the original film despite occurring within the same era.
“We can go forwards and backwards in telling this story,” he explained. “There are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie, that weren’t touched upon.”
The executive expressed confidence that the studio still possesses enough compelling material to produce another globally appealing installment.
“So we’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together,” he said.
Lionsgate Eyes Potential Billion-Dollar Success
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael stars Jaafar Jackson — Michael Jackson’s nephew — in the lead role as the King of Pop.
The film traces Jackson’s journey from his early years as the breakout talent of the The Jackson 5 to his rise as one of the most influential entertainers in music history.
The cast also includes Nia Long and Colman Domingo.
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer told analysts that the studio believes the film has the potential to become the company’s first production to surpass $1 billion at the global box office.
“We believe there is a lot more story to tell and a lot more music to share,” Feltheimer said during the earnings call.
If achieved, the milestone would represent one of Lionsgate’s biggest theatrical successes and reinforce the enduring commercial power of Michael Jackson’s legacy more than a decade after his death.
Existing Footage Could Reduce Sequel Costs
Fogelson also revealed that a significant portion of material for a potential sequel may already exist.
According to him, between 25% and 30% of a second film has effectively been shot during earlier production work for the first movie, potentially reducing future production costs and timelines.
“We have 25% to 30% of a second movie already shot from the prior production activity, and so obviously that will have some benefit ultimately,” he said.
However, he noted that the studio remains focused on delivering a large-scale production rather than simply minimising expenses.
“We’ll make sure we make a big and satisfying movie for a global audience once again,” Fogelson added.
Michael Jackson’s Legacy Continues to Drive Hollywood Interest
The scale of Lionsgate’s ambitions reflects the continuing global influence of Michael Jackson, whose music catalogue, cultural impact, and personal story remain among the most commercially valuable in entertainment history.
Jackson’s career produced some of the highest-selling albums ever released, including Thriller, while his influence reshaped modern pop music, dance, music videos, and live performance culture.
Hollywood studios have increasingly leaned on globally recognisable music icons and established intellectual property as audiences continue to favour large-scale event films with strong built-in fan bases.
For Lionsgate, the studio’s confidence in expanding the Michael franchise suggests executives believe audiences are not only interested in revisiting Jackson’s music, but also in exploring the deeper personal and professional complexities surrounding one of entertainment’s most influential figures.
With anticipation around the first film already building, the company appears determined to ensure that the story of the King of Pop extends well beyond a single cinematic release.