Michael Jackson Biopic Hits a Major Snag

Jan 24, 2025

The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson, has run into serious trouble due to a major legal oversight. John Branca, who manages the late singer’s estate, is facing criticism for failing to notice a key clause in a 1994 legal settlement. That agreement, made with the family of Jordan Chandler—who accused Jackson of child sexual abuse in 1993—strictly forbids either side from publicly discussing the case. This restriction also applies to the Jackson Estate, which now controls all aspects of Michael Jackson’s image and legacy.

Despite this, the film’s script reportedly focuses heavily on the 1993 allegations. According to Puck News, it portrays Jackson as an innocent and naïve figure, while suggesting that the Chandler family manipulated the situation for financial gain. The story implies that Jackson was forced to settle the case to protect his reputation, not because he was guilty.

However, the 1994 settlement also includes a clause that prevents the Chandlers from being depicted in any film or media. This means that large parts of the script—especially scenes in the third act—are legally unusable. Branca had previously assured the filmmakers that there were no legal barriers, but it’s now clear that this crucial agreement was either forgotten or ignored.

To make matters worse, The Washington Informer reported that the Jackson Estate secretly paid five other accusers following the release of the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which reignited public debate about Jackson’s alleged misconduct. These payments were not disclosed at the time, raising further questions about how the estate handles such sensitive matters.

Branca only informed the production team about the legal issue after filming had already wrapped. This has left the filmmakers scrambling to rewrite the script and reshoot key scenes to avoid breaching the settlement. While the estate has agreed to cover the cost of these changes, the process is expected to be expensive and time-consuming.

The film was originally scheduled for release in April 2025 but has already been delayed until next year. Given the scale of the revisions needed, there’s now uncertainty over whether it will be delayed again—or even cancelled altogether.

The situation is especially ironic considering how aggressively the Jackson Estate responded to Leaving Neverland. At the time, they sued HBO’s parent company, WarnerMedia, claiming the broadcaster had broken a non-disparagement agreement after they obtained exclusive rights to broadcast a 1992 concert from Jackson’s Dangerous tour. Yet now, the estate itself is being criticised for failing to uphold a similar agreement—this time one that protects the Chandler family.

While the Jackson Estate must ultimately shoulder responsibility for the biopic and the controversies it has stirred, it is difficult to extend sympathy to anyone involved in its creation—be they the writers, director, producers, or cast. The decision to participate in a project that seeks to rehabilitate or glorify a figure as contentious as Michael Jackson—particularly given the serious and unresolved allegations of child sexual abuse—raises profound ethical concerns.

One need not be a legal expert or moral philosopher to recognise the dangers inherent in such a venture. It should be self-evident to anyone with even a basic sense of decency and moral responsibility that attempting to reframe Jackson’s legacy through a sympathetic cinematic lens risks trivialising the experiences of alleged victims and undermining the gravity of the accusations levelled against him.