The Michael Jackson movie has defied the critics with the biggest opening weekend of all time for a biopic, raking in over $217 million.
Michael concluded in 1988, teasing “His Story Continues”, with fans awaiting confirmation of a sequel.
The film’s original script included a third act with Jaafar Jackson’s take on his uncle having his privates examined by police following the 1993 child sexual abuse allegations the star faced.
Jackson always denied them (his first of at least 10 and counting) and settled out of court with the kid Jordan Chandler’s family in a multimillion-dollar settlement.
However, having filmed this, the estate discovered that in the 1994 deal they couldn’t name or depict Jordan in any future biopic.
As a result, there were 22 days of reshoots last summer for an entirely new third act, and Michael was delayed a year. The finished product has been lambasted by critics for ignoring the allegations and instead having Jackson parade through a children’s hospital during visiting hours in what many critics and the director of Leaving Neverland, have called an attempt to whitewash his image around kids.
The Town’s Matt Belloni read the original script and put it to Lionsgate film chair Adam Fogelson, asking if Michael 2’s new script will address the allegations as the story reaches the 1990s. The studio boss diplomatically replied on the latest episode of the podcast: “There is a massive amount of music and some of his greatest music and life experiences separate and apart from allegations. A ton of it that would fill more than a second movie on its own… Over the next couple of weeks, when we all sit down and talk about their full and complete vision for what this movie will be, I’ll be in a better position to answer that question.” So when are we getting the second movie?
Belloni said his sources told him Michael producer Graham King wants to shoot part 2 this year, although director Antoine Fuqua is already tied up this summer with a Denzel Washington Netflix movie. The film scooper even shared he’d heard that King might direct the sequel himself. Whatever the case, it sounds like filming will begin this year or in 2027. Asked how likely Michael 2 was of getting green-lit, Fogelson replied: “I think the likelihood is very high…. I think in a couple of weeks there will be more information.”
