Release Date Announced for Janet Jackson’s Documentary ‘Janet’

A two-night, four-hour documentary showcasing Janet Jackson’s life and career is releasing this month. Janet, the upcoming documentary about the pop star which was first announced early last year, is set to premiere on 28th January via Lifetime and A&E to mark the 40th anniversary of the singer’s self-titled debut album.

“This is my story, told by me. Not through someone else’s eyes,” Jackson says of the film. “This is the truth. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. This is me.”

Watch the new full-length trailer below.

Last September, the documentary’s first teaser was released. Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey, and Paula Abdul made cameo appearances in the video, commenting about Jackson’s impact and influence, and Tito Jackson said Janet would “always be my baby sister.” There are also brief appearances by Janet’s brother Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur, Janet’s Poetic Justice co-star.

Janet has been in production for nearly five years, according to the teaser. Ben Hirsch directed the film, while Janet Jackson and Randy Jackson served as executive producers. The majority of the footage was shot around the time of Jackson’s father Joe’s death in 2018. The documentary will use archival footage to examine major periods in Jackson’s life and career, including his brother Michael’s death in 2009.

A separate documentary, Malfunction: The Dressing Down Of Janet Jackson, was produced late last year about Janet Jackson’s iconic event at the 2004 Super Bowl, when Justin Timberlake revealed her breast during their halftime show.