It’s been a big week for the billion-dollar mark at the worldwide box office. Spider-Man: Brand New Day crossed it after less than a week in theaters, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is about to do the same, reaching a major status level for the modern blockbuster. Though a whopping nine movies hit that number in 2019, since 2020 it’s been more like three or four per year. Now 2026 is going to have at least five, the most since the onset of the pandemic. And before Nolan or Spidey, the first-action 2026 movie to get there was Michael, which eked cross the billion-dollar mark shortly before ending its theatrical run in the U.S. It’s been available at home via PVOD streaming for some time, but now it’s about to hit a subscription streaming service for the first time.
The Michael Jackson biopic, starring Jackson’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, covers the first half-plus of Jackson’s life, cutting off around the time of the Bad tour in 1987. The film was originally going to include material about his life in the 1990s, and would have addressed the allegations of child abuse that first surfaced in 1993, but a rather stunning oversight reported in Variety barring the depiction of one of Jackson’s accusers necessitated cuts, reshoots, and delays. Supposedly an in-the-works sequel will find a way to address this material from later in Jackson’s life.
In the meantime, Michael, which was directed by Antoine Fuqua of Training Day fame, is making its subscription streaming debut on Starz, as part of their output deal with Lionsgate, the studio that released the film. Here’s how to watch this version of Michael Jackson’s story on streaming if you’re not interested in paying for a $25 premium rental.
When Is Michael Coming to Starz?
The movie will be available on the Starz streaming service on August 10th, 2026.
What Time Does the Michael Jackson Movie Premiere on Starz?
Michael will be available starting at 3:01AM, eastern time, on August 10th — so that’s 12:01AM on the West Coast.
How to Watch Michael on Starz:
Michael will be available to watch on Starz.com and the STARZ app (available to download on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon). For a limited time, STARZ is available for $5.99/month for the first three months or only $2.50/month when you prepay $29.99 for 12 months.
You can also purchase STARZ as an add-on via Philo ($25/month), with the streamer offering a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
How to Watch Michael on Hulu or Amazon For Free:
Though Michael won’t be streaming directly on Hulu or Amazon at the moment, you can add STARZ to your Amazon or Hulu accounts for an additional $11.99/month. Both platforms offer a seven-day free trial for eligible subscribers (typically if you haven’t already used a free trial of the channel).
STARZ is also available on Sling TV and Fubo (with Fubo offering a free trial).
