Story perspectives

Filmmaker Dan Reed denounces Jackson biopic, labels star pedophile

4/24/2026

Summary

Dan Reed Slams

Documentary filmmaker Dan Reed slammed the Michael Jackson biopic for ignoring abuse allegations.
Reed called Michael Jackson a pedophile, worse than Jeffrey Epstein, and said Wade Robson and James Safechuck have never earned money from lawsuits set for trial.
Reed condemned director Antoine Fuqua’s gold-digging comment as profit-driven and noted HBO removed Leaving Neverland after a 1992 settlement while the film ends in 1988, omitting the 1993 $25 million Chandler settlement.

Summary

Jackson Biopic Soars

The Michael Jackson biopic earned $12.6 million in midweek previews, positioning a $70 million domestic opening, the strongest music-biopic debut.
Reshoots were ordered after the Jackson estate enforced a clause banning reference to the 1993 $25 million settlement, funded $10-$15 million.
The film set records for biopics in France, U.K. & Ireland while U.S. previews earned $3.8 million from IMAX, delivering a 68 percent market share and the highest preview total for a non-superhero, non-franchise film.

Summary

Fuqua Delays Release

A 1994 $20 million settlement barred dramatizing the Chandler accusations, per attorney Larry Feldman.
Screenwriter John Logan, producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua learned of the restriction in fall 2024 after a September 2024 Financial Times report.
The clause pushed the film’s release from April 2025 to October 2025, Puck reported in January 2025.
Fuqua said he remains skeptical of the accusers and cited a double standard for Black artists.

History

Historical Context

After the 1993 Jordan Chandler accusations, Michael Jackson settled the civil case in January 1994 for roughly $23 million, including a clause barring any public mention of the scandal. A 1992 non-disparagement agreement with HBO later led the estate to sue over the 2019 documentary *Leaving Neverland*. The 2026 biopic now faces the same restriction, prompting a $10 million reshoot and a year-long delay.

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Dan Reed Slams

Documentary filmmaker Dan Reed slammed the Michael Jackson biopic for ignoring abuse allegations.
Reed called Michael Jackson a pedophile, worse than Jeffrey Epstein, and said Wade Robson and James Safechuck have never earned money from lawsuits set for trial.
Reed condemned director Antoine Fuqua’s gold-digging comment as profit-driven and noted HBO removed Leaving Neverland after a 1992 settlement while the film ends in 1988, omitting the 1993 $25 million Chandler settlement.

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