Colman Domingo has been revealed to be portraying Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. So far, Domingo has been on a phenomenal run, and he seems to have only begun. In 2022, he secured an Emmy win for his sublime portrayal of the character Ali in HBO’s Euphoria. Similarly, his performance in the critically acclaimed musical drama, The Color Purple (2023) has earned him praise. Also from 2023, his breathtaking portrayal of Bayard Rustin in Rustin has now earned him his first-ever Oscar nomination. This makes him the first openly gay Black man to receive a nomination for portraying a gay character.
Now, he has been entrusted with bringing an important character to life in a potentially groundbreaking film. Evidently, the actor’s immense talent is finally being recognized and appreciated. After years of work, he is finally being brought to the fore in Hollywood. However, it will be a while before audiences get to see Colman Domingo portray Joe Jackson in Michael. That hasn’t stopped the Oscar predictions from come in. In the meantime, here’s what we know about the upcoming blockbuster film.
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Announcement And Development Of The Film
While the movie is only now getting wild media buzz, it has actually been in development for a while. News of a potential biopic was first shared in November 2019, but it didn’t spread very far. Back then, it was announced that Oscar-nominated producer Graham King had secured the rights to produce an unnamed biopic about Michael Jackson. Additionally, it was revealed that Tony Award-winning writer John Logan would handle the screenplay.
Subsequently, in February 2022, the film’s distribution rights were officially acquired by Lionsgate. Principal photography was originally set to begin in mid-2023. However, it was unfortunately delayed for a while due to the then-ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Following the end of the strike, a new date was set to begin principal photography. Subsequently, filming officially began on January 22, 2024.
Cast And Crew
The casting director for the film is Kimberly Hardin, and casting officially began in June 2022. So far, only three members of the cast have been announced. As aforementioned, Colman Domingo will be playing Joe Jackson, the famed patriarch of the Jackson family. In addition, Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's real-life nephew, is set to portray the King of Pop. This will be the 27-year-old’s acting debut, and many are eager to see how well he does. The third and final member of the cast who has been announced is Juliano Krue Valdi. He will be portraying a young Michael Jackson.
While we await other cast announcements, some members of the crew have also been revealed. The movie will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, and co-produced by Graham King, John Branca, and John McClain. Dion Beebe is billed to handle its cinematography, and Barbara Ling will be the production designer. Marci Rodgers is set to handle the costume design.
Release Date
As principal photography only just begun, it will take a while before the movie is ready for the big screen. However, it is already being heavily publicized. Moreover, it’s set to be a big production, with a budget over $100 million. Until then, fans are left to imagine how Colman Domingo will expertly take on Joe Jackson. Michael is scheduled to be released on April 18, 2025.
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