00:00Michael Jackson's nephew, Jafar Jackson, is set to play him in a biopic about the music icon's life.
00:06The project from Lionsgate is titled Michael.
00:09It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who shared the news on Instagram.
00:13He wrote,
00:14Proud to announce Jafar Jackson as Michael,
00:16the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the king of pop.
00:21Coming soon.
00:22Jackson won 13 Grammys and rose from child stardom in the Jackson 5
00:26to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world.
00:28He died in 2009 at age 50.
00:31Jafar Jackson is the son of Michael's brother, Jermaine Jackson,
00:34and is a budding singer who released his debut single, Got Me Singing, in 2019.
00:42Katherine Jackson, the mother of Michael Jackson, said,
00:45Jafar embodies my son.
00:47It's so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.
00:52She went on to say that Jafar, pictured here with his aunt Latoya Jackson, quote,
00:56organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael.
01:00And even after conducting a worldwide search,
01:02it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role.
01:05According to Lionsgate, the film will address all aspects of Jackson's life.
01:09Though it is unclear how the movie will handle the many controversies involving the late music icon,
01:14as the film is made in conjunction with his estate,
01:16which has defended him against accusations of sexually abusing children.
01:20The movie Michael will begin principal photography in 2023.
01:23For more on this story, go to THR.com.
01:26This is The Hollywood Reporter News.
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