Neverland’ will turn you off Michael Jackson
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 10:51 am
Director Antoine Fuqua said he was proud to announce Jackson’s role in what he called “the motion picture event that explores the journey of the man who became the King of Pop.”
Written by Tony-winning playwright John Logan and produced by Graham King, who worked on the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the film is just one of many productions about the legendary but controversial pop singer, who died in 2009 at 50. Whether the biopic will delve into the sexual assault allegations Michael Jackson repeatedly faced remains unclear.
A 2022 press release from Lionsgate said the film would offer “an in-depth portrayal of the complicated man” and “informed insight” into his personal life. But the Michael Jackson estate, which has denied any telegram database wrongdoing by Jackson, will be involved in the production, raising questions about how far the story will go. (The singer also denied allegations and was acquitted on four counts of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2005.)
The 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which told the story of two men who said they were molested by Jackson in the late ’80s and early ’90s, brought renewed attention to the claims.
Review: A devastating and credible ‘Leaving for good
Last year, the Broadway musical “MJ” debuted, returning some of the shine to the singer. The production, which steered away from more fraught moments of Jackson’s life, racked up four Tony awards, including Myles Frost’s best actor in a musical for his role as Jackson. It has grossed $85 million, according to Broadway World.
Jaafar Jackson’s role will be his first in a major film. In 2019, he released a music video, “Got Me Singing,” which showcases his dance moves.
Written by Tony-winning playwright John Logan and produced by Graham King, who worked on the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the film is just one of many productions about the legendary but controversial pop singer, who died in 2009 at 50. Whether the biopic will delve into the sexual assault allegations Michael Jackson repeatedly faced remains unclear.
A 2022 press release from Lionsgate said the film would offer “an in-depth portrayal of the complicated man” and “informed insight” into his personal life. But the Michael Jackson estate, which has denied any telegram database wrongdoing by Jackson, will be involved in the production, raising questions about how far the story will go. (The singer also denied allegations and was acquitted on four counts of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2005.)
The 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which told the story of two men who said they were molested by Jackson in the late ’80s and early ’90s, brought renewed attention to the claims.
Review: A devastating and credible ‘Leaving for good
Last year, the Broadway musical “MJ” debuted, returning some of the shine to the singer. The production, which steered away from more fraught moments of Jackson’s life, racked up four Tony awards, including Myles Frost’s best actor in a musical for his role as Jackson. It has grossed $85 million, according to Broadway World.
Jaafar Jackson’s role will be his first in a major film. In 2019, he released a music video, “Got Me Singing,” which showcases his dance moves.