The Michael Jackson biopic Michael arrived with enormous anticipation, particularly because of nephew Jaafar Jackson’s uncanny resemblance to the King of Pop and his widely praised preparation for the role. Early buzz positioned the film as a major event, but now that the first reviews are in, that excitement has collided with a far more muted critical reception than many expected.

The biopic Michael has landed with a 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting a wave of negative assessments from early reviewers. Critics have described the film as superficial, formulaic, and hesitant to grapple with the darker aspects of Jackson’s story.

Writing for the BBC and The Guardian, several reviewers have called the movie bland, “bland-bowdlerised,” and reminiscent of a glossy TV-movie montage that leans too heavily on hit-song set pieces rather than human depth. At the same time, a few voices have pushed back against the overwhelmingly dismissive tone, with some critics praising Jaafar Jackson for his uncanny vocal and physical mimicry of his uncle, even if they find the script dramatically undercooked.

The divergent reaction suggests that while the film may connect with audiences emotionally through its music and performance, its critical prospects rest on a shaky foundation of predictable biopic conventions and a reluctance to engage honestly with Jackson’s complexities.

While Michael struggles critically, another ambitious music biopic project is preparing a very different approach.

Sam Mendes is spearheading one of the most ambitious music biopic projects in recent memory

Sam Mendes is spearheading a four-film series centered on The Beatles, due for theatrical release in April 2028. The quartet of features, collectively billed as The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, will each zoom in on a different member of the Fab Four—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—building a composite portrait rather than a single linear saga.

The casting is star-driven yet grounded, with Harris Dickinson as Lennon, Paul Mescal as McCartney, Joseph Quinn as Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Starr, all of whom bring strong indie and festival-bred cred to the project. Mendes has described the rollout as a “bingeable moment in cinema,” aligning the four-film release with contemporary streaming habits while still anchoring it in traditional theatrical exhibition.

With principal photography already underway and a stacked cast in place, the project looks poised to avoid the pitfalls that have hamstrung other music biopics—let’s hope the final product matches that ambition, unlike the tepid critical response currently greeting the Michael Jackson film Michael.

What do you think about the Michael biopic's Rotten Tomatoes score? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra