Puck News reports Leaving Neverland, which chronicles sexual abuse and grooming allegations against the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has been permanently yanked from HBO. The docuseries from Dan Reed originally premiered to much controversy in 2019, detailing two of Jackson’s accusars’ detailed accounts of their alleged unconventional and inappropriate relationships with the icon.
A sequel, Leaving Neverland 2, was initially supposed to debut on HBO, but instead will be available on YouTube. The hourlong sequel follows the ongoing litigation against Jackson’s corporate entities.
Videos by PopCulture.com
All of this is happening as Michael, the highly anticipated big-screen biopic from director Antoine Fuqua which stars Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will premiere later this year.
HBO came under fire for Leaving Neverland. The network was sued by Jackson’s estate for $100 million for allegedly violating a nondisparagement clause they entered into with the “Bad” singer dating back in 1992.
After a five-year legal battle, the Leaving Neverland case was dismissed by the parties in October 2024. Per the report from Puck News, part of that settlement in the lengthy lawsuit is that Leaving Neverland was taken down from Max and will not return, which is considered a win for the estate.
The accusers detailed in the first documentary are dancer/choreographer, Wade Robinson, and former child actor, James Safechuck. Safechuck met Jackson in a commercial and struck up a relationship with Jackson which he says became sexual.
Robinson was a childhood Jackson fanatic who impersonated the singer in his routines and caught Jackson’s eye. He also says their relationship became sexual. Wade testified on Jackson’s behalf at one of his child abuse trials, explaining in the documentary he felt the need to protect Jackson.
A third documentary is reportedly in the works. Reed says he hopes it’ll be the final ending of the series.
Most Viewed
-
(Credit: Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images)
