Story perspectives

Jackson Biopic “Michael” Calls Accusers Liars, Nets $217 M

4/29/2026

Summary

Michael Biopic Sparks

The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” opened on April 24, 2026 in the United States.
Filmmaker Dan Reed said the film calls Wade Robson and James Safechuck liars and sanitizes abuse allegations.
Reed added the movie shows Jackson as an eccentric, overgrown child, ignoring evidence of predatory behavior.
Director Antoine Fuqua earned $25 million while the film grossed $217 million worldwide, prompting the estate to expect huge profits.

Summary

Michael Biopic Triumph

The singer Michael Jackson biopic opened with $97 million in the U.S. and $217 million globally, beating Bohemian Rhapsody’s record.
The Jackson estate sued HBO over Leaving Neverland under a 1992 non-disparagement clause, prompting removal from U.S. streaming platforms.
The dispute settled in 2024, with HBO describing the resolution as amicable.
U.S. viewers can still watch Leaving Neverland on Netflix Japan via a VPN, with ExpressVPN costing about $13 monthly.

History

Historical Context

After Jackson settled the 1993 Chandler abuse claims with a $23 million 1994 agreement that barred any film mention of the accuser, his estate invoked the same clause while producing the 2026 biopic “Michael.” Lawyers forced $10 million of reshoots and a year-long delay, echoing the earlier effort to control the narrative and prompting a new HBO lawsuit.

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Michael Biopic Sparks

The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” opened on April 24, 2026 in the United States.
Filmmaker Dan Reed said the film calls Wade Robson and James Safechuck liars and sanitizes abuse allegations.
Reed added the movie shows Jackson as an eccentric, overgrown child, ignoring evidence of predatory behavior.
Director Antoine Fuqua earned $25 million while the film grossed $217 million worldwide, prompting the estate to expect huge profits.

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