Janet Jackson Honors Late Brother Michael Jackson By Pausing Biopic Talks

Fans won't be getting a biopic or any projects related to Janet Jackson's life and illustrious career until the release of her late brother Michael Jackson's movie.

The sensational singer reportedly halted all offers about depicting her life on the big screen, stressing the importance of letting the King of Pop enjoy the spotlight before her. Her decision is also tied to allowing her family to focus solely on her late brother and relive their favorite memories.

Janet Jackson is notably known for her close relationship with Michael Jackson. Like her older brother, she rose to fame for her undeniable talents, breaking gender and racial barriers in the music industry.

Janet has recently received lucrative offers to tell her story as a musical biopic or a TV documentary, according to a source. However, the singer halted all discussions about these potential projects to honor her late brother's memory by waiting for his biopic debut.

"Janet is holding off on any career retrospective project of her own for the time being out of respect for the rest of her family," the source explained. They noted the singer did not want to steal the spotlight from her brother or loved ones, "including her niece and nephews, who control Michael Jackson's estate."

The list extended to Janet's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the son of her older brother Jermaine Jackson, who stars as Michael in the biopic. Halting offers for her biopic ensured her nephew could fully enjoy the spotlight as the upcoming film marked his acting debut and his first time as a leading man, per In Touch.

The upcoming film, "Michael," is directed by Antoine Fuqua, and it explores the life and tragic end of the beloved singer. Reports noted the movie had the full permission of his estate and covered significant details from the late entertainer's life, with the biopic's synopsis stating it detailed events:

"From his childhood of being the star of the Jackson 5, through times of abuse by his father Joe Jackson, to his hit 'Thriller,' and the purchase of Neverland Valley, into his tragic and unsuspected death on June 25, 2009."

The source added that the whole Jackson family came together to ensure the movie becomes a success, stressing that they wished to showcase Michael's true story without the gossip.

"The effort everybody in the extended family has put into getting [the biopic] Michael off the ground — it's truly been a group effort," the insider claimed.

Michael's musical biopic comes after multiple successful projects like Austin Butler's 2022 hit "Elvis" and Timothée Chalamet's role as Bob Dylan in the recent film "A Complete Unknown." The source noted these critically acclaimed works made the Jackson family hopeful for the "Thriller" hitmaker's project.

The insider noted the late singer's sister especially wanted his biopic to succeed as it would pave the path for her.

"Janet, like everybody else, is extremely curious about how it's all going to turn out. She's not making any decisions about how she will portray her own legacy until the fate of the Michael movie is determined," they explained, adding:

"That said, Janet knows she has an amazing personal and professional story to tell that is totally different from her late brother's. From her unlikely breakthrough in the late eighties to her three marriages, to 'nipple gate,' Janet has had a crazy career and made music that went around the world."

Sensational actress Nia Long, famous for her success in Black cinema, joined the cast for "Michael" in 2024. The Blast covered the story, reporting she would embody the role of the Jackson family's matriarch, Katherine Jackson, in the upcoming biopic.

Lionsgate Productions confirmed Long joined the cast in a statement hailing the matriarch's impact on the family. "Katherine Jackson is an incredible pillar of strength and grace for the entire Jackson family," they wrote.

Director Fuqua echoed similar sentiments about Long, saying:

"Nia has delivered iconic performances throughout her career. I've been a fan for a long time because her characters stay with you. I'm excited to now work alongside her as she pours all of that into Katherine Jackson."

Although the upcoming biopic scored a star-studded cast with Long and Colman Domingo playing the Jackson family's heads, it faced an unexpected hiccup. The movie depicting Michael's life and career was set to be released in October, but sources shared a different narrative.

According to a Variety report, movie powerhouses Lionsgate and Universal Pictures would likely postpone the premiere of the biopic. The reason stemmed from the possible splitting of the movie into two parts.

The project initially wrapped up its principal photography in May 2024, but John Logan's script was reportedly in the works for a revision.

Additionally, reshoots might be scheduled to fit the biopic's split into two movies, but concrete details have not been confirmed. Michael's biopic roughly carries a $155 million budget, with stars like Miles Teller, Larenz Tate, and Kat Graham scoring roles in the project. 

Will Michael Jackson's upcoming biopic be a success like Janet Jackson hopes?