Michael is a biographical film on the life of pop legend Michael Jackson. It’s directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. The film was released theatrically on April 24, 2026, and met with mixed critical response. Despite that, according to USA Today, the film has become a box-office success.
It’s worth exploring how much of the film sticks to the facts. So let’s explore that.
Michael’s Pet Chimpanzee
In Michael, we are shown that the Beat It singer owned a chimpanzee as a pet. He named the animal Bubble. As per People, this is factual as Michael did own a chimpanzee who is still alive and is 43 years old. The makers opted to use CGI instead of a real chimp, as reported by Variety.
Michael Jackson had a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles, and he is still alive today at 43 years old. pic.twitter.com/SRuWa2QgLP
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) April 26, 2026
Michael’s Relationship With His Father Joe
Michael showcases the singer’s strained relationship with his father, Joe Jackson. The latter was the family’s patriarch and his manager. While Joe encouraged his children to follow their passion, he also made them go through grueling rehearsals. As per EW, the singer had also opened up about getting beaten by his father. Joe passed away on June 27, 2018.
I have seen more sunsets than I have left to see. The sun rises when the time comes and whether you like it or not the sun sets when the time comes. pic.twitter.com/PGcmbulzyC
— Joseph Jackson (@Joe5Jackson) June 24, 2018
Michael Quitting Jackson 5 Mid-Performance
The film climaxes with Michael announcing something big during the 1984 Victory Tour concert. He tells everyone that he will not perform with the Jackson 5 again. This actually happened as a YouTube video from that event showcases Michael making the announcement. One reason was that Michael did not get along with his brothers during the tour, according to GQ.
Michael’s Love For Peter Pan
Michael Jackson loved Peter Pan. As per EW, he had named his Sycamore Valley Ranch Neverland. This was a hat tip to Never-Never Land from Peter Pan’s story.
Did anyone notice in the scene where baby Michael reads the Peter Pan book that “Joseph” is written next to Captain Hook right where he’s shown being defeated by Peter Pan? which foreshadows how Michael defeats Joe at the end of the film. Such a nice detail pic.twitter.com/Z4sMB93LDT
— vi ☆ fan (@saycamore) April 26, 2026
Jackson also wrote a song titled Peter Pan, which was recorded. However, it was never released for some reason. His love for the character is also featured in the film. Besides these, the film also showcases Michael suffering burns during the shoot of a Pepsi commercial. As per the BBC, this happened in the same year as the Victory tour.
Omitting Child Abuse Angle
The film leaves out the child sexual abuse allegations completely. As per People, the makers intended to include all that in the film. They had even shot some scenes related to this incident. But the settlement of the victims included an agreement that they can never be mentioned in a film. This forced the makers to make changes for the final cut.
Overall, the film blends real-life events from Michael’s life to create an engaging storyline.
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