Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson, began streaming exclusively on Starz on August 10, 2026, with the linear channel airing it the same day at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Starz announced the move on July 27, confirming the film as its first exclusive streaming home after a run of more than $1 billion worldwide.
What did Starz announce?
As Media Play News reported on July 27, Starz said it will be the first exclusive streaming home for Michael, which the outlet noted is the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, starring Jaafar Jackson as the late Michael Jackson. The film, which generated more than $1 billion at the global box office for Lionsgate and Universal Pictures, premiered on the Starz app and all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms beginning August 10.
The announcement maps the modern windowing path for a blockbuster: theatrical, then digital rental, then a subscription home, each stage announced by the distributor on the record. For a music biopic with this audience scale, the streaming premiere is effectively a second opening weekend.
Who stars in the film?
Jaafar Jackson, the son of Jermaine Jackson, plays the King of Pop in his teen and adult years, with Juliano Valde playing the singer as a 10-year-old performing with his brothers. As Yahoo Entertainment reported on August 8, the film begins its streaming-on-demand run on Starz this week as production on a sequel, Michael 2, nears.
The sequel detail matters as much as the streaming date: a billion-dollar first chapter has already spawned a follow-up entering production, extending the franchise's life well beyond its theatrical window.
Why does the streaming date matter?
The August 10 premiere gives the year's biggest music film a subscription destination just as the fall viewing season begins. For Starz, landing the first exclusive window on a billion-grossing title is a statement acquisition; for subscribers, it converts a theatrical event into a rewatchable catalog piece with behind-the-scenes features on digital platforms.
The full arc, from global theatrical release through a record-setting box office run to an announced streaming home and an in-production sequel, is now part of the confirmed record, each milestone confirmed by the distributors and named trade and consumer outlets rather than by speculation.
The announcement also settled a running question for the film's audience: after months in theaters and on digital rental platforms, Michael now has a permanent subscription address, and the July 27 statement specified exactly where and when. For a film carried by a first-time screen performance from the family, Jaafar Jackson's debut as his late uncle reaches its widest rewatchable audience this week.
