Michael Jackson's nephew Taj Jackson lashed out at media outlets on social media days before the April 24, 2026, release of the biopic 'Michael,' expressing faith that audiences will judge the film for themselves. This follows earlier trailer buzz and family input on the estate-backed production.
Taj Jackson, son of Jackson 5 member Tito Jackson, took to Twitter/X on April 22, 2026, declaring that the media can no longer 'control the narrative anymore of who Michael Jackson truly was.' He stated, 'The public gets to watch this movie… they will decide for themselves,' adding, 'And you can’t handle that.' Jackson promised, 'Can’t wait ‘till some critics have to eat crow,' and vowed, 'And yes I will be that petty.'
The biopic 'Michael,' directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced with the Jackson estate, has generated buzz since its first trailer dropped in February, showcasing Jaafar Jackson as his uncle and highlighting family dynamics with Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Joe and Katherine Jackson. It currently holds a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics, with projections for a $65-70 million domestic opening and up to $700 million worldwide.
As previously reported, the film spans Jackson's career from the Jackson 5 era through his 1988 Bad tour. Recent reshoots addressed legal constraints on depicting 1993 allegations. Domingo emphasized to Today, 'The film takes place from the ’60s to 1988, so it does not go into the first allegations,' framing it as 'an intimate portrait of who Michael is … through his eyes.'
