Lionsgate is not treating Michael like a one-and-done event. The studio has now openly signaled that a sequel is moving forward, with motion picture chair Adam Fogelson saying there is still “a ton of incredibly entertaining Michael Jackson story” left to tell and that much of the singer’s biggest music catalog was not used in the first film.
Fogelson said the first film left plenty on the table, adding that “there are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie that weren’t touched upon.” He said the company is “very, very confident” it has “an incredibly entertaining movie” that can again appeal to a global audience as the sequel comes together.
That confidence is not coming out of nowhere. The first Michael film has already been a major commercial success, with The Guardian reporting its worldwide gross at $715.8 million, while People noted that Lionsgate had been prepared to deliver more if audiences responded. The sequel discussion intensified after the film’s release and after the studio’s repeated hints that the story is not finished.
What makes this sequel conversation more complicated is the material the first film left out. The original movie ended with Jackson’s 1988 Wembley Stadium performance during the Bad tour, and the production was heavily affected by legal issues tied to Jackson’s 1993 child sexual abuse allegations. The Guardian reported that much of the original footage was scrapped after producers realized a settlement with Jordan Chandler meant Chandler could not be mentioned or portrayed in the film.
That is where the next film becomes the real lightning rod. It is still unclear how, or even whether, a sequel would address the abuse allegations directly. People reported that the removed third act was originally meant to deal with that chapter of Jackson’s life, while The Guardian noted that the sequel may not follow a strict chronological order and that Fogelson said, “We can go forwards and backwards in telling this story.”
Fogelson also revealed that the studio believes it already has “25 to 30% of a second movie already shot” from the earlier production, which could reduce future costs and give the sequel a head start. That same idea appeared in multiple reports, along with his statement that the next film will be made to feel “big and satisfying” for audiences worldwide.
People also reported that the sequel talk is tied to the box office threshold the first film crossed, with Lionsgate reportedly willing to move ahead if the movie cleared roughly $700 million globally. The film’s title card, “His Story Continues,” has also fueled speculation that a follow-up was always at least part of the plan.
At this point, the message from Lionsgate is clear: the Michael story is not done, the studio believes the audience is there, and the second film may be built from both new material and footage already captured. The bigger question is not whether another movie is coming, but how far the sequel is willing to go into the most controversial chapters of Jackson’s life.
