Summary

  • Michael producer Graham King emphasizes his unbiased approach to the King of Pop biopic, focusing on humanizing without sanitizing.
  • Despite the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson's allegations, the movie maintains his innocence, leaving audiences to form their opinions.
  • Michael's stance on the pop star has sparked controversy in the wake of the documentary series Leaving Neverland.

Michael producer Graham King speaks on the movie’s “unbiased” approach. The upcoming biopic follows the family life and career of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. With Equalizer's Antoine Fuqua helming as the director, the cast includes Jafaar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Laura Harrier. The Michael movie is expected to release on April 18, 2025.

Jafaar Jackson, who plays the King of Pop in the movie, is the real-life nephew of Michael Jackson.

In an interview with Variety, King explained the team’s stance on Michael and its approach. He and the Michael team sought “to humanize but not sanitize and present the most compelling, unbiased story” about the music star. The producer also noted that Jackson’s “life was complicated” but that the star “remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist.” Check out the full quote from the producer below:

“[I] went into this project with an open-mind and spent years researching Michael Jackson’s life and work—from his artistry to his public and private struggles, to his humanitarian efforts.”

“Michael’s life was complicated. As a filmmaker, I look to humanize but not sanitize and present the most compelling, unbiased story I can capture in a single feature film and let the audience decide how they feel after watching it. Michael clearly remains an impactful, culturally relevant artist with a life and legacy worth exploring.”

Why Is This "Unbiased" Approach To Michael Controversial?

Michael Jackson has been a controversial figure due to allegations.

With this supposedly “unbiased” perspective, the controversy around Michael is sure to continue through its release.

While the first look of Michael has been released, King’s statement fails to address Jackson's child abuse accusations. While the singer was acquitted of claims of child molestation and intoxicating a minor in 2005, the allegations surfaced to the public via the documentary series Leaving Neverland. In Leaving Neverland, the filmmakers follow the stories of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who both maintain that Jackson began manipulating and sexually exploiting them when they were children.

Michael Cast

Characters

Jaafar Jackson

Michael Jackson

Colman Domingo

Joe Jackson

Nia Long

Katherine Jackson

Miles Teller

John Branca

Laura Harrier

Suzanne de Passe

Given the prominence of these allegations in the wake of Leaving Neverland, this raised questions about how Fuqua and his team would handle that aspect of Jackson’s story in Michael. The production has controversially decided to maintain Jackson’s innocence when portraying him in the movie. This is also the stance that the Jackson estate has maintained for years.

Michael Jackson biopic Must Avoid Bohemian Rhapsody mistake
Related
Michael Jackson's Biopic Must Avoid Bohemian Rhapsody's Blinker Mistake

Bohemian Rhapsody avoided exploring the darker aspects of Freddie Mercury’s career. The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic can’t make the same mistake.

King’s statement is innately controversial in its neglect to directly address the issue of Jackson’s allegations. While allowing the “audience to decide how they feel” alludes to some gray area in the movie, this ostensibly impartial position means that the movie will not condemn Jackson's alleged pedophilia. With this supposedly “unbiased” perspective, the controversy around Michael is sure to continue through its release.

Source: Variety