It’s Official: Justin Timberlake to Headline Super Bowl Halftime

Variety Staff
Updated

It’s official. Justin Timberlake tweeted on Sunday afternoon that he will perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2018. The game is set for Sunday, Feb. 4 at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium. Variety reported that he was the frontrunner on Sept. 27.

Timberlake’s announcement was the latest installment in his ongoing bromance with Jimmy Fallon, beginning with the two of them asking “Do you have the time?” in jokey British accents, which evolves into “You’re doing the halftime show at the Super Bowl?!?!” and the pair jumping around in their familiar puppy-dog fashion. The two are on the set of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and Timberlake tagged the show in his tweet — and the game, to be held Feb. 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, is scheduled to be broadcast on NBC, thus future synergy between Timberlake, the show and the game is obviously in the works.

Timberlake’s return to an NFL stage is a significant one considering that, in 2004, the so-called “wardrobe malfunction” during his performance with Janet Jackson raised the ire of the league and television viewers and spurred a crackdown by the FCC on objectionable broadcast material. Despite the furor around that appearance, it doesn’t seem completely unlikely that Jackson could make a surprise appearance during the performance.

Timberlake is also expected to release a new album in the first quarter of the new year, say sources.

With Katy Perry, Beyonce, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas as the past few performers, Super Bowl halftime sets have skewed toward the pop realm in recent years, largely out of necessity: the suitable classic rockers who were a hallmark of the halftime show for years (the Rolling Stones, U2, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty). But with Timberlake’s comedic ability, his spot could well go beyond a straight musical performance.

See his announcement below:

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