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The first trailer for Michael, the long-anticipated biopic on the life of Michael Jackson, has finally dropped, and it’s clear the film is going for reverence, spectacle and nostalgia over controversy.

The film stars Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his first major acting role. From the trailer alone, it’s evident why he was cast: the posture, the vocal softness, the stage precision, and, of course, the moonwalk, all mirror Michael’s signature presence. Though one does find themselves occasionally wishing the makeup team pushed Jaafar’s resemblance closer to Michael, the performance appears earnest and deeply studied.

The teaser opens quietly in a recording studio. A producer’s voice breaks the silence: “I know you’ve been waiting a long time for this. The tracks are made, the songs are ready — let’s take it from the top.” And then the volume swells into the unmistakable chant from ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, “mama say mama sa mamakusa” — the Cameroonian-rooted refrain that once electrified stadiums.

From there on, the trailer plays like a memory reel of some of pop culture’s most defining moments, including Michael in the red leather jacket of ‘Thriller’, the silhouette and single white glove under stage spotlights, a stadium erupting as he glides into the first beat of the Moonwalk, and a young Michael at the family dinner table, surrounded by the Jackson 5, laughter, music and rivalry lingering under the surface.

There’s also a brief but striking shot of Michael applying makeup, concealing the effects of vitiligo. The moment suggests the film will at least touch upon the complexities of how he shaped (and reshaped) his public image.

Jaafar is also shown slipping into Michael’s speaking voice, soft and breathy, at one point asking the producer to lower the studio lights — a request that appears to nod to the legend’s meticulous nature.

Notably absent from the trailer is any reference to the legal battles and sexual abuse allegations that followed Michael through much of his later career. The film’s production reportedly faced delays over how (or whether) these events could be depicted, and based on the tone of this first look, the marketing team is keeping the focus squarely on the music, the craft and the myth.

Whether the film ultimately engages with all of Michael’s story remains to be seen, but the trailer suggests a project shaped with the cooperation and blessing of the Jackson estate, and one intent on restoring the image of “the greatest entertainer in the world.”

Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Emancipation), is slated to release on April 24.