The exciting Hollywood musical, Michael, based on the life of Michael Jackson, will have paid previews starting tonight, Thursday, April 23, with a full-fledged release on Friday, April 24. The film is set to rock the box office, including in India. Interestingly, fans who would venture to watch the biopic will be in for a surprise. This is because the film ends with the promise of a sequel.

Michael ends at a decisive point in Michael Jackson’s life. The text ‘His Story Continues’ appears on the screen, followed by the end credits. This strongly indicates that a potential sequel could be in the offing, though the film was not initially planned as a two-part story.

Two weeks before Michael’s release, Adam Fogelson, the Chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, told The Hollywood Reporter, “This first movie stops well short of telling the full story of Michael Jackson. There is a lot of amazing music in this catalogue that this part of the story doesn’t get to. So, we have said that there is room for another film, and I can tell you that the filmmaking team has been hard at work being ready for a second film, and when the right moment comes, we would be excited to announce that it is definitively happening. … I’m encouraged that there is more story to tell and that we have a really good shot at being in a position to deliver.”

Ideally, a sequel can be officially announced if the box office performance is healthy and audience reactions are positive. The former is guaranteed as the film is expected to globally collect $140 million to $150 million by Sunday. The only challenge remaining is how the audience reacts to it, considering that some early reviews were not positive.

Meanwhile, Bollywood Hungama reported yesterday, on April 22, that Michael has sold a whopping 78,000 tickets for the weekend and paid previews. Hence, it is expected to be another surprise success at the box office in 2026 after Project Hail Mary.