The Michael Jackson movie from Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King is moving forward now that it has a studio. On Monday, Lionsgate picked up worldwide distribution rights to the potentially controversial project, Deadline reports. The movie will be written by John Logan, who has Oscar nominations for Hugo, The Aviator, and Gladiator.
Although the project is moving forward with the blessing of the Jackson estate, it reportedly is not intended to be a sanitized retelling of the King of Pop’s life. When news of the project first surfaced on Deadline back in November 2019, the outlet reported the plan is to cover Jackson’s entire life, up to his death in June 2009 at 50 years old. However, the estate-approved Broadway musical MJ has been widely criticized for ignoring the controversial aspects of Jackson’s life, so it will be interesting to see if King and Logan can still cover topics like the child sex abuse allegations against Jackson and the singer’s difficult childhood.
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King and Logan’s movie is simply titled Michael and will “bring to life Jackson’s most iconic performances as it gives an informed insight into the entertainer’s artistic process and personal life,” according to producers. “I first met the Jackson family in 1981 and I’m humbled to bring their legacy to the big screen,” King said in a statement. “Sitting at Dodger Stadium watching the Victory Tour, I could never have imagined that nearly 38 years later I would get the privilege to be a part of this film.”
Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, was also quoted in Monday’s announcement. “Ever since Michael was little, as a member of The Jackson 5, he loved the magic of cinema,” she said. “As a family, we are honored to have our life story come alive on the big screen.”
King won an Oscar as a producer on Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and was also nominated for Best Picture for The Aviator, Hugo, and Bohemian Rhapsody. He is also developing a Bee Gees biopic for Paramount. His most recent project is the Sandra Bullock-starring The Unforgiven, which was a hit for Netflix. King’s other credits include Tomb Raider, Jersey Boys, The Town, World War Z, and Allied.
Jackson is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist. However, he remains a controversial figure. In 1993, he was accused of sexually abusing a child, and he paid a settlement the following year. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of other child sexual abuse allegations. The allegations came under the spotlight again when HBO aired the documentary Finding Neverland. The Jackson estate sued HBO over the film’s release.
