“Michael”: Michael Jackson’s film biography less controversial than anticipated
Darui Sven
March 9, 2024 1:42 pm
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3 min read
The creators of “Michael,” the film biography of Michael Jackson, promised that their production would not shy away from controversial topics. It seems that while they did not stray from the truth, they adopted a perspective that portrays their hero in a favorable light.
“Michael”: King of Pop’s biography less controversial than anticipated?
Matt Belloni, a journalist associated with the Puck portal, had the opportunity to read the script of “Michael.” From his information, it appears that the creators depict the King of Pop as a victim of a conspiracy by greedy parents. Such a twist of events should not surprise anyone, considering that family members of the musician, who died in 2009, are involved in the project, including his nephew, who plays the titular role.
Belloni quotes a scene where one of Jackson’s closest collaborators says: “I’m not afraid of children, only their parents. Michael’s doors are open to a huge number of people, and among them are not lacking greedy individuals.”
The World of Reel blog quotes another excerpt from Belloni’s text, which suggests that the creators are trying to whitewash their protagonist:
“Michael” is based on the assumption that the hero’s aggressive father made Michael very insecure but harmless like Peter Pan, constantly reliving his lost childhood. This situation was exploited by evil people who saw an opportunity to benefit from it. The script aggressively tries to present Michael as an innocent victim.
“Michael” – Michael Jackson’s film biography coming to the screen. What do we know about it?
The film “Michael” will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day,” the “Equalizer” series) from a screenplay by John Logan (“Gladiator,” “Skyfall”). Graham King (“The Departed,” “Bohemian Rhapsody”) serves as the producer.
Also involved in the project are cinematographer Dion Beebe (Oscar winner for “Memoirs of a Geisha”), production designer Barbara Ling (Oscar winner for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), makeup artist Bill Corso (Oscar winner for “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”), sound operator John Warhurst (Oscar winner for “Bohemian Rhapsody”), and costume designer Marci Rodgers (“BlacKkKlansman”).
The titular role will be played by Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of the musician who died in 2009. The cast also includes Colman Domingo and Nia Long, who will portray Joe and Katherine Jackson, and Miles Teller. He will play lawyer John Branca.
The premiere is scheduled for April 18, 2025.
Watch the trailer for the documentary “Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson’s Dark Side”
In 2019, the controversial documentary “Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson’s Dark Side” debuted at the Sundance Festival. The result of cooperation between Channel 4 and HBO, it was honored with an Emmy Award in the same year. Here’s a reminder of its trailer:
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