Following his acclaimed performance in the billion-dollar hit Michael, Jaafar Jackson has secured his first major Hollywood project. The actor will star alongside Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb in Supermax, an upcoming action thriller from Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax. The project remains in the early stages of development, with details about Jackson’s character being kept under wraps, though the role is reportedly central to the story.
Supermax follows two FBI agents, played by Smith and Robb, as they investigate a seemingly impossible murder inside a maximum-security prison. The film is directed by David Gordon Green, known for the 2018 Halloween reboot, from a screenplay by David Weil and David J. Rosen.
Will Smith confirmed Jackson’s casting on social media by sharing a video of a text exchange between the two actors. In the conversation, Smith praised Jackson’s performance, writing, “Love what you do. You are the TRUTH.” He captioned the post, “Y’all ain’t ready,” offering fans an early glimpse at their upcoming collaboration.
The film is being produced by Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman of The Picture Company, alongside Will Smith and Adam Fishbach for Westbrook Studios. Amazon MGM has acquired worldwide distribution rights through a deal with Miramax, with Supermax set to stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories following its release.
Jackson’s casting follows the extraordinary success of Michael, director Antoine Fuqua’s biographical drama about Michael Jackson, which has surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office to become the highest-grossing music biopic in history. The performance established Jackson as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising young actors and marked a remarkable debut for his first major film role.
The 30-year-old actor, the son of Jermaine Jackson and nephew of Michael Jackson, was cast as the King of Pop in January 2023 following an extensive international casting search led by producer Graham King. Before making his acting debut, Jackson pursued a career as a singer and dancer, releasing two independent singles before transitioning to film.
His latest casting also arrives as interest continues to build around a possible Michael sequel. The first film concludes before the final chapter of Michael Jackson’s life, ending with the title card “His Story Continues.” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson has previously said the studio believes there is “room for another film,” while noting that discussions about a follow-up have taken place. No sequel has been officially announced.
For Will Smith, Supermax marks his return to leading a feature following 2024’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which earned more than $400 million worldwide. For Jaafar Jackson, the project represents the next major step in a rapidly emerging career, pairing him with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars as he builds on the momentum created by Michael‘s record-breaking theatrical run.
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