The biopic stars Jaafar Jackson, 29, Jackson’s nephew and son of Jermaine, and is directed by Antoine Fuqua, known for Training Day.
Producer Graham King, who oversaw Bohemian Rhapsody, has said he aims to deliver “a film like they’ve never seen before.” He added, “When you mention his name, everyone has an opinion.”
Filmmakers recently reshot the final third of the movie after legal complications involving a decades-old settlement with Jordan Chandler, whose allegations against Jackson in 1994 led to a $23million out-of-court agreement. It remains unclear how directly the film will address the claims or their aftermath.
Behind the scenes, estate advisers view Michael as a strategic vehicle for renewing the singer’s cultural relevance. Jeff Jampol, a consultant to the Jackson estate, said a theatrically released biopic offers the “best possible vehicle” for advancing an artist’s legacy.
But even he acknowledged the central question facing audiences and filmmakers.
He asked: “What story does the director of the Michael Jackson biopic want to tell?”
Jampol added: “And in telling that story, will it include any allegations, will it include his relationship with his father? Will it include his death, or his doctor, Conrad Murray? I don’t know. We will find out.”
A source said: “Matt is right – a biopic that glosses over Michael’s sex scandal is not a biopic of his life.”
