Ahead of the ‘Michael’ Cinema Release, Netflix Streams Michael Jackson’s First Movie

As expected, fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the release of one of the most-buzzed-about movies of the spring, Michael. Not only does the biopic cover the life of the “undisputed” King of Pop, Michael Jackson, but it is also stacked with actors Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller, and MJ’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson. Additionally, it was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is best known for his brilliant work on Training Day and The Equalizer. Now, only time will tell if Michael proves to be a box office hit and a biopic ranking among the greats like Ray, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Walk the Line, but Netflix has timely added the real Michael Jackson’s first feature film to its streaming lineup on April 1. 

In 1978, Jackson joined legends Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor in an onscreen musical that may not have done blockbuster numbers in theaters, but has become a classic for countless movie-watchers. 

‘The Wiz’ Starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross Is Now on Netflix

NEW YORK - 1978: The cast of "The Wiz" (L-R Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Diana Ross and Ted Ross) pose for a publicity shot in 1978 in New York, New York. The movie was directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Universal Studios. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

A twist on the iconic The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz puts an updated spin and adds a new perspective to the original story, with newer songs to boot. As described by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, here is the official synopsis of the film: 

“This beloved Motown musical version of L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy book is an adaptation of the popular Tony Award–winning stage musical that originated on Broadway in 1975. Noted for its lively score and all-Black cast, director Sidney Lumet’s film features a stellar array of iconic entertainers, including Diana Ross as Dorothy (reconceived for the film as a shy Harlem school teacher), Michael Jackson as Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as The Wiz. Embraced by generations, The Wiz was nominated for its art direction, cinematography, costume design, and adapted score at the 51st Oscars.”

Although The Wiz predates me, watching it as a kid, I recall fond memories. I thought Michael Jackson did a solid job for someone whose career is really grounded in music, not acting. 

‘Michael’ Debuts in Theaters on April 24

Michael hits theaters on April 24. If you’re interested in purchasing tickets, you may do so now by visiting the website of your local theater or purchasing through Fandango.

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Classic Series Among PlayStation Plus Games Coming in April

The list of Playstation Plus Monthly Games for April is out, and it includes one series that will get the attention of any gamer from the late 1990s. 

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is one of the three set to be available to download April 7, but that's not all.

Fans of co-op and action RPGs will also find something to dig their thumbs into.

Paging Lara Croft 

Whether you missed the original run of Tomb Raider games on the first PlayStation or just miss playing the original run of Tomb Raider games on the first Playstation, Sony has great news for you this month. 

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered will bring all expansions and secret levels from Lara Croft’s first three games to modern game platforms for the first time. 

That also means upgraded graphics, though the option to play with the original polygon look is also available. 

A new challenge mode is also available with customized modifiers and complete achievements to unlock 10 new outfits that enhance Lara’s abilities.

The original Tomb Raider game was released for the Playstation, Sega Saturn and PCs in 1996 with II and III following before the end of the decade exclusively on the Playstation.

What else is coming in April to Playstation Plus? 

If you’re not needing to scratch the vintage game itch, there are two other options. 

Lords of the Fallen is a third-person action role-playing game that allows players to use both magic and melee weapons. It has both co-op and player-vs.-player multiplayer modes.

Nine character classes are available along with hundreds of weapons as you play as a Dark Crusader tasked with bringing an end to the reign of the evil demon god Adyr. 

Sword Art Online Fracture Daydream is an action co-op raid game that lets gamers join a raid party and prepare for a fight with high difficulty bosses as a team.

In all, 21 characters from different story arcs of the SAO series are available, including different worlds and timelines. Characters come from both the anime and movie series, and each has a unique fighting class with its own attributes. 

It was originally released for PS5, XBOX Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Steam. 

What is Playstation Plus? 

Playstation Plus is a 3-tiered subscription service from Sony.

Players on the “Essential” play get monthly game downloads, exclusive discounts, cloud storage, the ability to play against others online and other exclusive content. 

Subscribers on the “Extra” tier get all that plus access to the Game Catalog and Ubisoft+ Classics. 

RELATED: These games were added to the Game Catalog in March

People who go all the way up to the “Premium” tier get the above benefits plus access to the Classics Catalog, game trials and cloud streaming. 

As of this writing, the four monthly game downloads for March are still available: PGA Tour 2K25, Monster Hunter Rise, Slime Rancher 2 and The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Golden Road. 

Those will not be available to download after April 6, but they remain on your system as long as you don’t delete them. 

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