NEWS
“Paris Jackson Slams ‘Michael’ Biopic as Misleading, Sparking Family and Fan Divide”
The man in the mirror will be unleashed in Michael, an upcoming biopic about pop icon Michael Jackson.
The film’s roots date back to 2019, when producer Graham King, an architect of the Oscar-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, announced his intentions to bring Jackson’s story to the big screen. The project has secured several high-profile artists, from A-listers like Colman Domingo and Miles Teller to director Antoine Fuqua and Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan.
Michael aims to deliver a life-spanning portrait of the icon, “tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.”
The official logline continues, “Highlighting both his life off stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”
A previous synopsis called the project “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant and complicated man who became known worldwide as the King of Pop,” promising a peek at the artist’s “triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale.”
Entertainment Weekly
Top Stories
Who was the real Ferris Bueller?
Drew Barrymore and Juliette Lewis reflect on roles they lost to each other
Tom Holland declares ‘The Odyssey’ a masterpiece
‘Today’ show accidentally reveals ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ cameo
Ad
When does Michael come out? All about the Michael Jackson biopic (and its controversies)
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, leads the cast alongside Colman Domingo and Miles Teller.
By Randall Colburn and Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe headshot
Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at Entertainment Weekly. She has been working at Entertainment Weekly since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.
EW’s editorial guidelines
April 11, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET
2
Comments
2
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London.
Credit: Lionsgate; Dave Hogan/Getty
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic hits theaters on April 24, 2026.
Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars as the pop icon, joined by Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, and Nia Long.
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.
The man in the mirror will be unleashed in Michael, an upcoming biopic about pop icon Michael Jackson.
The film’s roots date back to 2019, when producer Graham King, an architect of the Oscar-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, announced his intentions to bring Jackson’s story to the big screen. The project has secured several high-profile artists, from A-listers like Colman Domingo and Miles Teller to director Antoine Fuqua and Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan.
But Michael has also hit several roadblocks, with the King of Pop’s past legal troubles haunting the production and Jackson’s daughter, Paris, decrying its depiction of her late father, who died in 2009 from acute propofol intoxication.
With the biopic set to hit theaters on April 24, here’s everything we know about Michael, from its cast to the controversies that have plagued its production.
What is Michael about?
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Lionsgate
Michael aims to deliver a life-spanning portrait of the icon, “tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.”
The official logline continues, “Highlighting both his life off stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”
A previous synopsis called the project “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant and complicated man who became known worldwide as the King of Pop,” promising a peek at the artist’s “triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale.”
Speaking at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon in April 2024, King spoke about what drew him to the project. “The filmmaking stories that I’ve always gravitated to have characters that are multi-dimensional, and where there are elements of drama, intrigue, conflict, emotional stakes,” he said. “Then I try and find the untold version of the story — and try and set it from a perspective that hopefully gives the audience something new to take away creatively. As you can only imagine, Michael Jackson ticks all those boxes.”
He also briefly acknowledged the numerous controversies surrounding Jackson, including multiple allegations of child sex abuse (which the Jackson estate has deemed “absolutely false”).
“[Michael was] an enigma, full of eccentricity, electrifying talent, arguably the most famous entertainer to ever cross the planet,” King continued. “And yet behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the grinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it, including over 30 songs, recreating some of the most iconic performances on stage as well as his life out of the public eye.”
The first full-length trailer for Michael arrived in February, highlighting the Jackson family’s dynamic as patriarch Joe (Colman Domingo) encourages his sons to “fight” for success as the Jackson 5.
The trailer pivots to Michael in the studio, hungry for solo stardom. “You know what I’m after?” he asks his lawyer and manager John Branca (Miles Teller). “You want to be the biggest star in the world,” Branca replies.
Joe, meanwhile, dreams of “capitalizing” on Michael’s success to bolster the Jackson family brand. “That’s our Coca-Cola,” he declares.
As Michael strives to forge his own path and “do my own thing,” his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), tells him, “I knew you were different from the moment you were born. You have a very special light.”
The trailer’s final moments highlight Michael the performer and showstopper: moonwalks, sparking jackets, and “Thriller,” of course. It’s all capped off by Michael’s own words: “I believe music could change the world. Spread love, joy, and peace. That is what I want the world to feel: Magic.”
A second trailer arrived in April, this one shorter and heavy on the King of Pop’s most iconic eras. “I just have all these songs in my head,” he says. “I just gotta get ’em out.”
This latest tease promises a film focused as much on performance and nostalgia as the singer’s real-life struggles and controversies.
Who’s in the cast of Michael?
Playing Michael is the singer’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the son of former Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson. This will be Jaafar’s screen acting debut, though the young artist is a singer and dancer in his own right. As of this writing, the video for his 2019 single “Got Me Singing” has nearly 10 million views on YouTube.
“It’s uncanny how much he’s like Michael,” Fuqua previously told Entertainment Weekly. “Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It’s really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away.”
In a recent Interview profile with costar Miles Teller (who plays Branca), Jaafar revealed that he kept his casting a secret from his family for a year. “I kept it pretty quiet until I felt comfortable enough to share it,” he explained.
He described stepping into his uncle’s shoes as transformative. “It’s the type of experience that reshapes who you are for the better.”
He continued, “To be able to live in those shoes, feel some of what he was feeling, see life through fresh eyes the way Michael did — it was important to feel all those things so I could come from a place of truth, rather than trying to imitate or copy the shape of the moves.”
Two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo plays Michael’s father, Joe Jackson, a controversial figure in his own right. “I wanted to take it on because I know that there’s many public opinions about Joe Jackson that are in conflict of what maybe family members or people who knew him think or believe. And even that is very complicated,” the actor told EW in February 2024.
“I want to figure him out and find out what made him tick,” he continued. “How did he create these magnificent artists, these world-acclaimed artists? Because it was a lot through Joe, what Joe did and his impact. Whether good, bad, or ugly, I’m not sure.”
Skip to content
Entertainment Weekly
Top Stories
Who was the real Ferris Bueller?
Drew Barrymore and Juliette Lewis reflect on roles they lost to each other
Tom Holland declares ‘The Odyssey’ a masterpiece
‘Today’ show accidentally reveals ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ cameo
Ad
When does Michael come out? All about the Michael Jackson biopic (and its controversies)
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, leads the cast alongside Colman Domingo and Miles Teller.
By Randall Colburn and Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe headshot
Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at Entertainment Weekly. She has been working at Entertainment Weekly since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.
EW’s editorial guidelines
April 11, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET
2
Comments
2
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London.
Credit: Lionsgate; Dave Hogan/Getty
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic hits theaters on April 24, 2026.
Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars as the pop icon, joined by Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, and Nia Long.
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.
The man in the mirror will be unleashed in Michael, an upcoming biopic about pop icon Michael Jackson.
The film’s roots date back to 2019, when producer Graham King, an architect of the Oscar-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, announced his intentions to bring Jackson’s story to the big screen. The project has secured several high-profile artists, from A-listers like Colman Domingo and Miles Teller to director Antoine Fuqua and Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan.
But Michael has also hit several roadblocks, with the King of Pop’s past legal troubles haunting the production and Jackson’s daughter, Paris, decrying its depiction of her late father, who died in 2009 from acute propofol intoxication.
With the biopic set to hit theaters on April 24, here’s everything we know about Michael, from its cast to the controversies that have plagued its production.
What is Michael about?
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Lionsgate
Michael aims to deliver a life-spanning portrait of the icon, “tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.”
The official logline continues, “Highlighting both his life off stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”
A previous synopsis called the project “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant and complicated man who became known worldwide as the King of Pop,” promising a peek at the artist’s “triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale.”
Speaking at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon in April 2024, King spoke about what drew him to the project. “The filmmaking stories that I’ve always gravitated to have characters that are multi-dimensional, and where there are elements of drama, intrigue, conflict, emotional stakes,” he said. “Then I try and find the untold version of the story — and try and set it from a perspective that hopefully gives the audience something new to take away creatively. As you can only imagine, Michael Jackson ticks all those boxes.”
He also briefly acknowledged the numerous controversies surrounding Jackson, including multiple allegations of child sex abuse (which the Jackson estate has deemed “absolutely false”).
“[Michael was] an enigma, full of eccentricity, electrifying talent, arguably the most famous entertainer to ever cross the planet,” King continued. “And yet behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the grinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it, including over 30 songs, recreating some of the most iconic performances on stage as well as his life out of the public eye.”
Is there a Michael trailer?
The first full-length trailer for Michael arrived in February, highlighting the Jackson family’s dynamic as patriarch Joe (Colman Domingo) encourages his sons to “fight” for success as the Jackson 5.
The trailer pivots to Michael in the studio, hungry for solo stardom. “You know what I’m after?” he asks his lawyer and manager John Branca (Miles Teller). “You want to be the biggest star in the world,” Branca replies.
Joe, meanwhile, dreams of “capitalizing” on Michael’s success to bolster the Jackson family brand. “That’s our Coca-Cola,” he declares.
As Michael strives to forge his own path and “do my own thing,” his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), tells him, “I knew you were different from the moment you were born. You have a very special light.”
The trailer’s final moments highlight Michael the performer and showstopper: moonwalks, sparking jackets, and “Thriller,” of course. It’s all capped off by Michael’s own words: “I believe music could change the world. Spread love, joy, and peace. That is what I want the world to feel: Magic.”
A second trailer arrived in April, this one shorter and heavy on the King of Pop’s most iconic eras. “I just have all these songs in my head,” he says. “I just gotta get ’em out.”
This latest tease promises a film focused as much on performance and nostalgia as the singer’s real-life struggles and controversies.
Who’s in the cast of Michael?
The Jackson 5 in ‘Michael’
The Jackson 5 in ‘Michael’.
Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
Playing Michael is the singer’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the son of former Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson. This will be Jaafar’s screen acting debut, though the young artist is a singer and dancer in his own right. As of this writing, the video for his 2019 single “Got Me Singing” has nearly 10 million views on YouTube.
“It’s uncanny how much he’s like Michael,” Fuqua previously told Entertainment Weekly. “Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It’s really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away.”
In a recent Interview profile with costar Miles Teller (who plays Branca), Jaafar revealed that he kept his casting a secret from his family for a year. “I kept it pretty quiet until I felt comfortable enough to share it,” he explained.
He described stepping into his uncle’s shoes as transformative. “It’s the type of experience that reshapes who you are for the better.”
He continued, “To be able to live in those shoes, feel some of what he was feeling, see life through fresh eyes the way Michael did — it was important to feel all those things so I could come from a place of truth, rather than trying to imitate or copy the shape of the moves.”
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo plays Michael’s father, Joe Jackson, a controversial figure in his own right. “I wanted to take it on because I know that there’s many public opinions about Joe Jackson that are in conflict of what maybe family members or people who knew him think or believe. And even that is very complicated,” the actor told EW in February 2024.
“I want to figure him out and find out what made him tick,” he continued. “How did he create these magnificent artists, these world-acclaimed artists? Because it was a lot through Joe, what Joe did and his impact. Whether good, bad, or ugly, I’m not sure.”
His resemblance to the real-life Joe Jackson was so uncanny that Fuqua, Michael’s director, told WSJ Magazine in March that it “scared the s–t out of” him. He added that Domingo “melts into the character,” and that he replicated “the look and his body language and even the way he spoke.”
Nia Long (The Best Man) appears as Michael’s mother, Katherine, while Larenz Tate (Power) features as music producer Berry Gordy, who worked closely with the Jackson 5.
Many of Michael’s famous contemporaries will also show up in the film. Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) will appear as Diana Ross, the “Queen of Motown.” Audiences will also see Liv Symone (Power Book III: Raising Kanan) as Gladys Knight, Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken) as Dick Clark, and Kendrick Sampson (Insecure) as Quincy Jones.
Michael’s complicated legacy and numerous allegations of child sex abuse have been raised by many critics since the film was announced. In 2003, the singer was arrested and charged with child molestation. He was acquitted of all charges in 2005 following a trial that spanned nearly four months.
Foremost among the film’s critics is Dan Reed, the filmmaker behind the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which unpacks the allegations of two men who claim Michael sexually molested them as children.
After reading a draft of the script, Reed condemned the project as a “complete whitewash” of Michael’s life. “It’s an out-and-out attempt to completely rewrite the allegations and dismiss them out of hand, and contains complete lies,” Reed told The Times of London in March 2024. “You never even see him alone with any boys, when it is a matter of fact that he shared his bed with small children for many years.”
Fuqua, Michael’s director, previously told EW that his goal was to “tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being.” The film has the backing of the Jackson estate.
Top Stories
Who was the real Ferris Bueller?
Drew Barrymore and Juliette Lewis reflect on roles they lost to each other
Tom Holland declares ‘The Odyssey’ a masterpiece
‘Today’ show accidentally reveals ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ cameo
Ad
When does Michael come out? All about the Michael Jackson biopic (and its controversies)
Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, leads the cast alongside Colman Domingo and Miles Teller.
By Randall Colburn and Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe headshot
Allison DeGrushe
Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at Entertainment Weekly. She has been working at Entertainment Weekly since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.
EW’s editorial guidelines
April 11, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET
2
Comments
2
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’; Michael Jackson in 1983 in London.
Credit: Lionsgate; Dave Hogan/Getty
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic hits theaters on April 24, 2026.
Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars as the pop icon, joined by Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, and Nia Long.
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.
The man in the mirror will be unleashed in Michael, an upcoming biopic about pop icon Michael Jackson.
The film’s roots date back to 2019, when producer Graham King, an architect of the Oscar-winning Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, announced his intentions to bring Jackson’s story to the big screen. The project has secured several high-profile artists, from A-listers like Colman Domingo and Miles Teller to director Antoine Fuqua and Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan.
But Michael has also hit several roadblocks, with the King of Pop’s past legal troubles haunting the production and Jackson’s daughter, Paris, decrying its depiction of her late father, who died in 2009 from acute propofol intoxication.
With the biopic set to hit theaters on April 24, here’s everything we know about Michael, from its cast to the controversies that have plagued its production.
What is Michael about?
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Lionsgate
Michael aims to deliver a life-spanning portrait of the icon, “tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson 5 to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.”
The official logline continues, “Highlighting both his life off stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins.”
A previous synopsis called the project “a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant and complicated man who became known worldwide as the King of Pop,” promising a peek at the artist’s “triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale.”
Speaking at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon in April 2024, King spoke about what drew him to the project. “The filmmaking stories that I’ve always gravitated to have characters that are multi-dimensional, and where there are elements of drama, intrigue, conflict, emotional stakes,” he said. “Then I try and find the untold version of the story — and try and set it from a perspective that hopefully gives the audience something new to take away creatively. As you can only imagine, Michael Jackson ticks all those boxes.”
He also briefly acknowledged the numerous controversies surrounding Jackson, including multiple allegations of child sex abuse (which the Jackson estate has deemed “absolutely false”).
“[Michael was] an enigma, full of eccentricity, electrifying talent, arguably the most famous entertainer to ever cross the planet,” King continued. “And yet behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the grinding media spotlight, he was simply a man. A man who lived a very complicated life. The movie will get into all of it, including over 30 songs, recreating some of the most iconic performances on stage as well as his life out of the public eye.”
Is there a Michael trailer?
The first full-length trailer for Michael arrived in February, highlighting the Jackson family’s dynamic as patriarch Joe (Colman Domingo) encourages his sons to “fight” for success as the Jackson 5.
The trailer pivots to Michael in the studio, hungry for solo stardom. “You know what I’m after?” he asks his lawyer and manager John Branca (Miles Teller). “You want to be the biggest star in the world,” Branca replies.
Joe, meanwhile, dreams of “capitalizing” on Michael’s success to bolster the Jackson family brand. “That’s our Coca-Cola,” he declares.
As Michael strives to forge his own path and “do my own thing,” his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), tells him, “I knew you were different from the moment you were born. You have a very special light.”
The trailer’s final moments highlight Michael the performer and showstopper: moonwalks, sparking jackets, and “Thriller,” of course. It’s all capped off by Michael’s own words: “I believe music could change the world. Spread love, joy, and peace. That is what I want the world to feel: Magic.”
A second trailer arrived in April, this one shorter and heavy on the King of Pop’s most iconic eras. “I just have all these songs in my head,” he says. “I just gotta get ’em out.”
This latest tease promises a film focused as much on performance and nostalgia as the singer’s real-life struggles and controversies.
Who’s in the cast of Michael?
The Jackson 5 in ‘Michael’
The Jackson 5 in ‘Michael’.
Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
Playing Michael is the singer’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the son of former Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson. This will be Jaafar’s screen acting debut, though the young artist is a singer and dancer in his own right. As of this writing, the video for his 2019 single “Got Me Singing” has nearly 10 million views on YouTube.
“It’s uncanny how much he’s like Michael,” Fuqua previously told Entertainment Weekly. “Sounds like him, dances like him, sings. It’s really uncanny. Graham King, who is a fantastic producer, found him, and introduced him to me, and I was blown away.”
In a recent Interview profile with costar Miles Teller (who plays Branca), Jaafar revealed that he kept his casting a secret from his family for a year. “I kept it pretty quiet until I felt comfortable enough to share it,” he explained.
He described stepping into his uncle’s shoes as transformative. “It’s the type of experience that reshapes who you are for the better.”
He continued, “To be able to live in those shoes, feel some of what he was feeling, see life through fresh eyes the way Michael did — it was important to feel all those things so I could come from a place of truth, rather than trying to imitate or copy the shape of the moves.”
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo plays Michael’s father, Joe Jackson, a controversial figure in his own right. “I wanted to take it on because I know that there’s many public opinions about Joe Jackson that are in conflict of what maybe family members or people who knew him think or believe. And even that is very complicated,” the actor told EW in February 2024.
“I want to figure him out and find out what made him tick,” he continued. “How did he create these magnificent artists, these world-acclaimed artists? Because it was a lot through Joe, what Joe did and his impact. Whether good, bad, or ugly, I’m not sure.”
His resemblance to the real-life Joe Jackson was so uncanny that Fuqua, Michael’s director, told WSJ Magazine in March that it “scared the s–t out of” him. He added that Domingo “melts into the character,” and that he replicated “the look and his body language and even the way he spoke.”
Nia Long (The Best Man) appears as Michael’s mother, Katherine, while Larenz Tate (Power) features as music producer Berry Gordy, who worked closely with the Jackson 5.
Many of Michael’s famous contemporaries will also show up in the film. Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) will appear as Diana Ross, the “Queen of Motown.” Audiences will also see Liv Symone (Power Book III: Raising Kanan) as Gladys Knight, Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken) as Dick Clark, and Kendrick Sampson (Insecure) as Quincy Jones.
What are the Michael Jackson biopic controversies?
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in MICHAEL
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Kevin Mazur for Lionsgate
Michael’s complicated legacy and numerous allegations of child sex abuse have been raised by many critics since the film was announced. In 2003, the singer was arrested and charged with child molestation. He was acquitted of all charges in 2005 following a trial that spanned nearly four months.
Foremost among the film’s critics is Dan Reed, the filmmaker behind the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which unpacks the allegations of two men who claim Michael sexually molested them as children.
After reading a draft of the script, Reed condemned the project as a “complete whitewash” of Michael’s life. “It’s an out-and-out attempt to completely rewrite the allegations and dismiss them out of hand, and contains complete lies,” Reed told The Times of London in March 2024. “You never even see him alone with any boys, when it is a matter of fact that he shared his bed with small children for many years.”
Fuqua, Michael’s director, previously told EW that his goal was to “tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being.” The film has the backing of the Jackson estate.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in Michael
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’.
Glen Wilson/Lionsgate
Early in 2025, the production allegedly hit a legal roadblock due to a clause in a settlement made with one of Jackson’s former accusers, Jordan Chandler.
In 1993, Chandler accused Michael of sexually abusing him when he was 13 years old, leading to a settlement with the musician for a reported $25 million. In a January 2025 report from Puck, which cited multiple sources, the settlement reportedly states that the Chandlers are not to be mentioned or dramatized in any film about Michael. This was overlooked prior to production.
Puck declared this to be a “nightmare scenario” for the production, as Chandler was reportedly a key figure in Logan’s script. The result, per the outlet, was heavy rewrites and reshoots.
A source close to the production disputed this characterization to PEOPLE. “The Michael Jackson biopic is not in total chaos,” they said. “The inflammatory headlines about the moving halting are simply not true. The film is moving forward, and reshoots are happening in March.”
Spokespersons for Lionsgate, King, and the attorney who represents the Jackson estate did not respond to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.
What has Paris Jackson said about Michael?
Paris Jackson, Michael’s daughter with his second wife, Debbie Rowe, has voiced criticism of the project, saying the draft of the script she read was “dishonest” and “filled with inaccuracies.”
According to an Instagram Story shared by Paris in September 2025, she offered feedback on an early draft of the script and was told that production “was not actually going to address” her notes. Since then, she said, she has not been involved.
She did, however, warn fans not to expect an honest portrayal of her dad’s life. “A big reason why I haven’t said anything up until this point is because I know a lot of you guys are gonna be happy with it,” she said. “A big section of the film panders to a very specific section of my dad’s fandom that still lives in the fantasy, and they’re gonna be happy with it.”
She continued, citing the glut of musical biopics in recent years. “The thing about these biopics is, it’s Hollywood. It’s fantasyland. It’s not real. But it’s sold to you as real,” she said. “The narrative is being controlled. And there’s a lot of inaccuracy and there’s a lot of just full-blown lies. At the end of the day, that doesn’t really fly with me.”
Domingo recently responded to her criticism, telling WSJ Magazine, “I hope that she eventually loves the tribute that we made about her father.”
30 MINUTES AGO: White House Doctor BREAKS SILENCE on a TERRIBLE Diagnosis About Trump’s Health After He Recently Fainted, Revealing a Shocking Link to New Photos of Band-Aids on Trump’s Hand — And Also Reveals the Real Reason He Has Been Uncontrollably Falling Asleep During Meetings… It Is Really a Terrible Diagnosis, and the Doctor Just Exposed It……. The full shocking Truth ⤵️⤵️
NEW : I genuinely cannot sleep right now. And I am not even going to try. Because my President just left China. And I know exactly what is happening on that plane right now. Most people think Trump is resting on Air Force One. Sleeping comfortably. Enjoying the flight. And I want to tell you — that is not who Donald Trump is. Air Force One is not a plane. It is a flying White House. Full communications. Secure calls. Briefing rooms. Meeting capability with anyone in the world. And Trump — right now — somewhere over the Pacific Ocean — is reviewing everything that happened in Beijing. Planning the next move. Preparing for tomorrow. Because tomorrow — the moment he lands — he has a prayer event already scheduled at the White House. No rest. No break. No quiet morning to recover from a 16 hour flight. Just America. Again. And I sat with that for a very long time. Because while most of us were sleeping last night — Trump was in Beijing. And while most of us will wake up tomorrow — Trump will already be back at that desk. Having never really left it. China to Washington. Ancient gardens to prayer events. No pause in between. This is what loving a country actually looks like. Tonight say one prayer for Donald Trump. Somewhere over the Pacific right now. Still working. Still going. Still carrying all of us. 😭🙏🇺🇸 Are you still awake thinking about everything Trump just did in China — tell me what went through your heart today. 🙏🇺🇸 #Trump #AirForceOne #GodBlessOurPresident #fblifestyle
Serena Williams Rushed to Emergency Room After Terrifying Health Scare Leaves Tennis legend Unresponsive
Heartbreaking News: Popular Actor Kate Beckinsale, 52, Previously Diagnosed with Mast Cell Disease and Recently Spotted Looking Unwell at the 2026 Academy Awards, Has Been Rushed to the Hospital – Photos Show Her Beloved Cat by Her Bedside After She Was Confirmed to Be… See More
Taylor Swift holds hands with fiance Travis Kelce during romantic NYC date night as VERY special guest confirms attendance at their upcoming wedding
Kim Kardashian Breaks Down In Tears As 27-Year-Old Sister Kylie Jenner Is Reportedly Pregnant For Tom Brady After Secret Romance Shock
BREAKING: Donald Trump Sends Stark Warning to Taiwan After High-Stakes China Summit — “The World Cannot Afford Another War!”
U.S. Just Destroyed Something IRREPLACEABLE! Iran’s Secret Underground Arsenal Is FINISHED!!! For decades, Iran secretly built enormous underground missile cities beneath mountains, islands, and military zones along the Persian Gulf, believing these hidden tunnel fortresses packed with ballistic missiles, drones, and launch systems would make the regime untouchable against any American attack, but according to explosive new reports, that strategy may have just collapsed in spectacular fashion after Iranian forces allegedly launched a massive assault on three U.S. destroyers and accidentally exposed the very launch sites they spent years hiding from the world. As precision American strikes reportedly hammered missile hubs near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island while Gulf allies quietly joined covert attacks on Iranian infrastructure, military analysts are now warning that Tehran’s most valuable military secret may have transformed into a giant underground target map for Washington. “Apparently, the easiest way to reveal a hidden missile city is to start firing missiles out of it.” With Iran’s oil exports collapsing under blockade pressure, the economy bleeding hundreds of millions per day, underground launch networks increasingly compromised, and Trump refusing to back away from demands over Iran’s nuclear program, the regime now appears trapped between humiliation, economic suffocation, and the terrifying possibility that the weapons built to guarantee survival may instead accelerate its unraveling.
I can’t rewrite this in a way that promotes emotional manipulation, political hero-worship, or urges people to pray for or emotionally support a specific political figure. But I can help you turn it into a strong, viral-style neutral news hook + engagement post that keeps the drama and curiosity without pushing a partisan or devotional angle. Here’s a cleaner, high-engagement version: — 🚨 JUST IN: A move by Donald Trump is getting global attention — and people are debating what it really means. At 79, he has reportedly embarked on another high-level international trip, stepping back into one of the most intense arenas in global politics: U.S.–China relations. While supporters see duty and leadership, critics see pressure and risk — and the world is watching every step closely. 🌍👀 Because moments like this always raise one question: Is this leadership… or legacy in motion? ⚖️ 💬 WHAT DO YOU THINK? Is this the mark of a committed leader, or an unnecessary political risk at this stage? 👇 Drop your opinion below via this link — no insults, just honest thoughts.
JUST IN… 5 MINUTES AGO: Global pop phenomenon Taylor Swift has just delivered a shocking announcement that left fans around the world completely speechless — “I’ve been hiding this for way too long.” The unexpected moment involving the beloved music superstar has reportedly sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and across her massive global fanbase, with several people close to her said to be visibly emotional and even fighting back tears backstage as the deeply personal revelation unfolded in real time. FULL HERE:
GOOD NEWS : Jalen Sera Officially Proposes to Coco Gauff A Tender Moment That Leaves Fans Overjoyed. Coco Gauff recently sent the tennis community into a frenzy of excitement when her longtime boyfriend officially proposed to her in a romantic and completely unexpected moment marking a major milestone in her personal life, right as her career is reaching dazzling new heights. Jalen Sera won Coco Gauff’s heart with a romantic and heartfelt gesture: he got down on one knee and presented the engagement ring in a cozy, private setting Read More…
