Michael Biopic Release Rekindles Debate Over Michael Jackson’s Legacy

Antoine Fuqua’s *Michael*, starring Jaafar Jackson as the adult star, premiered on April 24, 2026 and ends before any public abuse allegations. It earned $97 million in its U.S. opening and $217 million worldwide, a record for musical biopics.

Radio Times

Dan Reed’s 2019 documentary *Leaving Neverland* presents Wade Robson’s and James Safechuck’s claims that Jackson groomed and sexually abused them at Neverland Ranch (1988-1992; 1990-1996). A 2024 lawsuit by the Jackson estate forced HBO to remove the film from U.S. streaming, leaving it accessible only via foreign VPNs.

Rolling StoneRadio Times

Dan Reed (director), Antoine Fuqua (director of *Michael*), Jaafar Jackson (lead actor), the Jackson estate, and accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck.

The Guardian

Fuqua suggested that criticism of Jackson may be colored by racial double standards, citing historic cases such as Elvis Presley’s marriage to a minor. The Jackson estate called *Leaving Neverland* a “tabloid character assassination” and defended the biopic’s artistic focus. Reed labeled the film a “false narrative around a man who’s a paedophile” and noted the estate’s earnings contrast with the accusers’ lack of compensation.

The Guardian

Reed said the biopic sanitizes Jackson’s relationship with children, depicting him as an “asexual plastic action doll” and ignoring alleged grooming. He argued the film portrays the accusers as liars, casts Jackson as an “eccentric, overgrown child,” and ultimately “flips the truth on its head,” rendering the narrative implausible. Critics note the film ends before the era when abuse allegations entered public view.

The Guardian

The biopic stops in the 1980s, leaving a gap around later abuse claims. The estate says the documentary’s allegations lack corroboration, yet the film remains unavailable in the U.S., limiting verification. Reed’s YouTube sequel to *Leaving Neverland* and a planned documentary on the pending civil lawsuit aim to fill these gaps.

Rolling Stone

• “What the movie does is creates a version of events that essentially portrays Wade, James and others who’ve accused Jackson of child sexual abuse as liars without actually articulating it.” — Dan Reed, Director, *Leaving Neverland*

The Guardian

• “Reed said that he had seen the film and “there’s zero insight into what makes Jackson tick”, adding: “He’s this asexual plastic action doll of a figure in the film.” — Dan Reed, Director, *Leaving Neverland*

The Guardian

• “When I hear things about us – Black people in particular, especially in a certain position – there’s always pause,” — Antoine Fuqua, Director, *Michael*

The Guardian

• “The film just flips the truth on its head – black is white, white is black, and two and two make five … it’s a movie that’s impossible to take seriously.” — Dan Reed, Director, *Leaving Neverland*

The Guardian

Reed posted a sequel to *Leaving Neverland* on YouTube and is developing a documentary about the upcoming civil suit by Robson and Safechuck. A sequel to *Michael* covering later years remains unconfirmed.

Rolling Stone