This is a monumental development for music history. George Michael Entertainment and Mercury Studios officially announced today that a long-lost concert film from the legendary 1988 Faith Tour has been unearthed, restored, and is headed for a global theatrical release. Titled George Michael: The Faith Tour, the feature-length film captures a 24-year-old Michael at the absolute zenith of his powers. For decades, the footage was considered lost in the archives, but it has now been meticulously remastered to 4K resolution, offering an explosive, "you-are-there" look at the tour that transformed George Michael from a boy-band heartthrob into a definitive, era-defining solo icon.
The film draws from a high-stakes, 14-camera shoot captured on 35mm film over two nights at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in May 1988. Directed by Michael’s longtime creative collaborators Andy Morahan and David Austin, the project represents the artist’s original cinematic vision finally realized. To provide historical weight, the theatrical event will open with Finding Faith, an original short film by Mary McCartney. This prologue features previously unheard voiceovers from Michael himself, alongside rare behind-the-scenes footage and unseen photography from the iconic Herb Ritts "Faith" sessions, contextualizing the immense pressure and ambition of the era.
The "Lost" Live Album: 18 Tracks of History
The restoration isn't just visual. Accompanied by the film, Sony Music Entertainment will release an 18-track live album—also titled The Faith Tour—featuring previously unheard recordings from the 1988 run. This collection is a significant Route A (Legacy) archive drop, showcasing the raw vocal power and technical precision that Michael brought to his first solo trek. The setlist spans his entire career up to that point, including high-octane Wham! classics like "Everything She Wants" and "I’m Your Man," alongside the era-defining solo hits "Father Figure," "One More Try," and the title track, "Faith."
"This is a celebration of ambition and fearless artistry at its peak... a moment when George Michael changed the course of his career forever." — Official Press Release from George Michael Entertainment
The Archival Gold Rush: Why Now?
The release is strategically timed for 2026, marking the 10th anniversary of Michael’s passing on Christmas Day 2016. It also follows the massive success of the 2023 Wham! documentary, proving that the appetite for "pre-digital" nostalgia is at an all-time high. For the estate, this isn't just a nostalgic release; it’s a technical showcase of high-fidelity restoration. By bringing a lost 35mm film to 2026 cinema screens, they are positioning George Michael’s legacy alongside that of contemporaries like Prince and Michael Jackson as a standard for live performance excellence.
While specific theatrical dates and territories are still being finalized, the announcement has already sent shockwaves through the fan community. With the Faith album having sold over 25 million copies and earned the 1989 Grammy for Album of the Year, the return of the Faith Tour to the big screen is set to be the definitive heritage event of 2026. After 38 years in the dark, the lights are finally coming back on for the King of Pop’s most rebellious era.
