Hey, do you recall how we told you that a Michael Jackson biography was in the works back in 2019? As it turns out, despite what you would have assumed after four years of silence, the project is far from being abandoned. Lionsgate has revealed that “Southpaw” director Antoine Fuqua will serve as the director of the movie, simply titled “Michael.” According to Deadline, who first reported the movie’s existence, Fuqua will begin shooting it as soon as “The Equalizer 3” is finished. However, the director released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in which he expressed his enthusiasm for the impending endeavour.
According to him, no musician possesses the strength, charisma, and pure musical talent of Michael Jackson. His music and those visuals are essential to my worldview, therefore the opportunity to present his narrative alongside his music on television was appealing.
Following the success of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Graham King, who had previously been confirmed as a partner on the project, will produce the movie. John Logan, who worked with Graham King on “Aviator,” penned the screenplay. The co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain, will also act as producers, which is where things get interesting.
A difficult task to juggle
You’re not the only one who may be wondering, “Wait, wasn’t Michael Jackson allegedly a child predator.” He was undoubtedly a significant figure in the creation of music history, but he was also accused posthumously of molesting two boys. These accusations were widely discussed in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.” The Jackson estate has strenuously refuted these claims; in fact, they sued HBO in 2019 on the grounds that the network had broken a non-disparagement agreement, setting off a contentious legal dispute.
Since Jackson is no longer alive, it’s unlikely that these accusations will ever be resolved, leaving us free to form our own conclusions based on the available information. Lionsgate and the estate of Michael Jackson could benefit from this. Although the distributor told The Hollywood Reporter that the movie will examine the singer’s entire life, the perspective from which it will be examined is probably going to be favourable. That would imply that “Michael” stands as an official denial of the accusations made against him, but it might also raise questions in the minds of his purported victims and victim advocate organisations. It certainly doesn’t help that Graham King, who worked on “Bohemian Rhapsody,” will produce the movie. King is no stranger to working with people at the centre of horrifying abuse allegations.
Whatever the case, “Michael” will probably begin shooting later this year. Although no actor has been chosen to portray the titular pop singer, a decision may be made shortly.
