Carlo Allegri/Getty The upcomingMichael Jacksonbiopic is unlikely to hit theaters before the end of 2025, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said on Thursday, May 22. "In regard toour Michael Jackson biopic, we're excited about the 3½ hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, and we will be announcing a definitive release strategy & timing in the next few weeks," Feltheimer said during the studio's Q4 2025 earnings call, perVarietyandIndiewire. Feltheimer said it was "likely" the studio will have to move the film, titledMichael, out of the 2025 fiscal year, "which will impact fiscal '26 financial results but will bolster an already strong fiscal '27 slate." Lionsgate's fiscal year ends on March 31, 2026, meaningMichaelmight not hit theaters until after April 2026. Later, Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson confirmed during a call after the quarterly earnings call thatMichaelwill be split into two parts, perDeadline. Lionsgate did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Kevin Mazur/ Lionsgate In late January,Puckreported thatMichaelwill need to be overhauled during reshootsafter lawyers learned of a clause in a settlement agreement between Jackson and one of his accusers. In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old Jordan Chandler. The musician, who died in 2009 at age 50, and the Chandler family reached a settlement out of court, reportedly for $25 million. According to Puck's sources, the settlement specified that the Chandlers could never be mentioned or dramatized in a movie. The outlet reported that John Logan's script featured the Chandler situation and the agreement was overlooked when the screenplay was previously vetted and approved. "The Michael Jackson biopic is not in total chaos," a source close to the production told PEOPLE on Jan. 24. "The inflammatory headlines about the moving halting are simply not true. The film is moving forward, and reshoots are happening in March." Spokespersons for Lionsgate (the film's distributor), producer King and attorney Jonathan Steinsapir (who represents the Jackson estate) did not respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment about the reports in January. Lionsgate featuredMichaelin its 2024 CinemaCon presentation, but didn't show any footage this year, despite principal photography already being completed in May 2024. The film was scheduled for April 18, 2025, but was then pushed to Oct. 3, 2025, in November. In April,VarietyreportedMichaelwas unlikely to be released on that day due to the reshoots, adding that it might be split into two movies. Kevin Mazur/WireImage Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Jackson estate has repeatedly denied abuse accusations made against the late singer, who was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005. Additional allegations were aired in the 2019 documentaryLeaving Neverland,prompting an ongoing legal battle. Michaelis directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced byBohemian Rhapsody's Graham King. Jackson's real-life nephew,Jaafar Jackson, plays the singer.Coleman Domingoand Nia Long play Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson, while Miles Teller plays Branca. Read the original article onPeople
