The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, titled Michael, directed by veteran filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, is reportedly in jeopardy, according to a recent report by industry insider Matt Belloni. Writing for Puck News, Belloni revealed that Lionsgate’s biopic on the ‘King of Pop’ is facing significant challenges.
According to Belloni, the issue lies with the biopic’s third act, which was intended to address the allegations of sexual abuse against the late singer and dancer. Fuqua reportedly planned to portray Jackson in a positive light while exploring the struggles he endured following the allegations.
The movie’s final segment was meant to heavily focus on the allegations, culminating in the 1993 large-scale investigation into Jordan Chandler’s claims.
In this third act, the film delves into the intense internal conflict within Jackson’s legal team. Led by Branca and Cochran, they grapple with the ethically fraught decision of whether to resolve the case by financially settling with Chandler and his family.
This internal debate is further intensified by a chilling audio recording in which Jordan’s father explicitly threatens to weaponise his son’s accusations to devastate his ex-wife and ruin Jackson’s career.
The real issue is that the biopic cannot include the incident with the Chandlers in any form, as Jackson’s team previously agreed not to feature the family in any documentary or other project. There is even a signed legal agreement that protects the Chandlers from any dramatisation or portrayal of their experiences with Jackson.
However, Jackson’s estate overlooked this agreement and proceeded to include the Chandlers as a major part of the biopic’s narrative.
This means the filmmakers cannot use any portion of the story that focuses on the Chandlers. All the scenes filmed for the third act may need to be scrapped.
This situation places immense pressure on Michael in terms of both storyline and budget. The project’s exploration of the controversy between the late pop star and the Chandlers is what initially made it a buzzing topic in Hollywood. It would have helped the movie stand out from other documentaries about Jackson.
Another issue is the film’s budget, which has reportedly reached $150 million. Scrapping the entire third act would undoubtedly result in significant financial losses for Lionsgate and GK Films.
Director Antoine Fuqua and the caretakers of Jackson’s estate are reportedly working on a solution for Michael’s third act. The filmmakers plan to present a revised script and an updated shooting schedule to Lionsgate in the coming days.
Another challenge involves Universal Pictures, which has been assigned to handle the biopic’s international distribution. If Universal rejects the revised script, the filmmakers may be forced to find a new distributor for the movie’s global release. This situation could also delay the planned October 3 release date this year. Stay tuned for further updates.