Jaafar Jackson Seeks Higher Pay for Michael Sequel

Jaafar Jackson may be ready to moonwalk back onto the big screen as his legendary uncle, Michael Jackson, but reportedly not without a new deal that reflects the enormous success of the first film.

The 30-year-old actor is reportedly renegotiating his compensation as plans move forward for a sequel to Michael. The first film turned Jaafar into an international movie star and became a massive commercial success, eventually crossing the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office and becoming the highest-grossing music biopic in history.

Considering those numbers, reports claim Jaafar is seeking a significant salary increase before returning to portray the King of Pop.

Jaafar’s performance carried extra weight because Michael marked his major acting debut. As Michael Jackson’s nephew and the son of Jermaine Jackson, his family connection to the role generated plenty of attention before the movie arrived. Its blockbuster performance, however, has reportedly given the actor more leverage as discussions surrounding a second installment continue.

The negotiations are also reportedly creating some tension within the Jackson family. Recent reports claim Jaafar’s push for higher compensation has caused friction with Michael’s children, Prince and Paris Jackson. However, those reports rely on unnamed sources, and neither Jaafar nor his cousins have publicly confirmed a dispute over his sequel salary.

The reported family tension comes as Paris remains involved in separate legal proceedings concerning her father’s estate. Those estate matters are distinct from Jaafar’s acting negotiations, although the various financial and legal interests surrounding Michael Jackson’s legacy add another layer of complexity to any major new project involving his life and music.

What appears much clearer is Lionsgate’s interest in continuing the Michael story.

Following the success of the first movie, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said discussions surrounding another film were progressing well. The studio believes there is still plenty of Michael Jackson’s story and music left to explore after the first installment focused largely on his rise to superstardom and concluded during the Bad era.

A sequel could also have a considerable head start.

Lionsgate has revealed that approximately 25 to 30 percent of material that could be used for a second movie was already filmed during production of the original. That could allow filmmakers to incorporate previously shot sequences while adding new material to continue Jackson’s story.

The first film underwent significant changes during production, leaving portions of Jackson’s later life outside the final theatrical release. Lionsgate has indicated that a follow-up would not necessarily have to continue the story in a strictly chronological fashion, giving filmmakers flexibility to revisit events or periods that weren’t fully explored the first time around.

Jaafar, meanwhile, is already building a career beyond playing his uncle. Following the success of Michael, he landed a role opposite Will Smith in the upcoming action thriller Supermax, signaling that Hollywood opportunities are opening up beyond the Jackson family story.

Still, returning to Michael would place Jaafar back at the center of a franchise that helped launch his acting career on a global scale.

With the first film becoming a billion-dollar phenomenon and Lionsgate openly developing its next chapter, the biggest question may no longer be whether audiences want more of the story. Instead, attention is turning toward what it will take to bring Jaafar Jackson back into the signature role that made him a movie star.

For now, negotiations surrounding his return remain ongoing, and Lionsgate has not announced a release date for the sequel.