$150m Michael Jackson biopic in chaos due to legal issue concerning sexual abuse claims - as release date postponed
27 January 2025, 11:28
A biopic about the late musical superstar Michael Jackson has been postponed for a minimum of six months and is to require reshoots of crucial scenes due to legal issues over the portrayed of child sexual abuse claims.
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Producer Graham King, the brains behind Bohemian Rhapsody and The Aviator, is reportedly accused of breaching a legal agreement with the first victim to accuse the King of Pop of sexual abuse, according to the news site Puck.
As a result, the entire third act is reportedly entirely unusable - and will have to be changed and reshot.
The original script reportedly revolved around “debunking” the claims by showing the ordeal from Jackson’s perspective and the impact it had on him.
Michael - was set to be released in April 2025 - is now being postponed to a later date as producers scramble to save the $150 million movie.
The cast and crew are now reportedly rearranging their schedules to resume filming in March.
In 1993, Evan Chandler, a dentist and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, accused Jackson of sexually abusing his 13-year-old son Jordan.
The case was concluded when the two parties reached a financial settlement in 1994.
One key scene, the report claims, portrayed a confrontation between the Chandlers and Jackson’s team, which included his father, Joe, and his lawyer, John Branca.
However, under the terms of a reported $20 million settlement and non-disclosure agreement from January 1994, Jackson’s team allegedly agreed not to reveal details of the agreement or feature the Chandlers in any future films.
Larry Feldman, the 81-year-old lawyer who represented the Chandler family in the 1994 settlement, said he was "not surprised" the Jackson family was “trying to capitalise on Michael Jackson’s career.”
He added, “If they want to do it, just leave the Chandlers out of it.”
Feldman mentioned that while he didn’t recall the specifics of the 1994 agreement, if the Jackson side had pushed for a non-disclosure agreement for their client, he would have likely requested the same for the Chandlers.
“They [the Jacksons] were sure they wanted to protect Michael — they did not want the Chandlers going out and telling a story about Michael and Michael having to defend himself. And I wanted to protect the Chandlers on the same side,” he said.
Feldman also said the Chandler family wanted "peace".
“That’s what made them settle in the first place," he added.
Feldman, who has never publicly disclosed the terms of the settlement, stated the Chandlers could file a lawsuit for breach of contract if they were portrayed in the film.
He added that they would likely win significant damages, considering their careful avoidance of public attention over the years.
Lionsgate announced in November the film’s release had been delayed from April to at least October of this year, though no specific reason was provided.
A revised script will be presented to the company this week, and the international distributor, Universal, must also approve any reshoots, reports claim.
Neither distributor has commented on the latest developments.
“I have no idea how the film-makers could get to this extent, and then discover this [agreement] was the case,” said Anthony Pellicano, a private eye and “fixer” who worked with Jackson’s team to handle the Chandler accusations.
Pellicano, who insisted that “nobody was more closely involved than I was”, said he had not been contacted by the producers.
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“The reason’s obvious,” he said. “I’m the only one that knows the truth about Michael. I got Michael out of the country before the police came — I have vivid memories of that time … There’s nothing I have forgotten.”
The reason’s obvious,” he said. “I’m the only one who knows the truth about Michael. I got Michael out of the country before the police arrived — I have vivid memories of that time… There’s nothing I’ve forgotten.
”Graham King is no stranger to reworking films.
During the production of Bohemian Rhapsody, the actor originally cast to play Freddie Mercury, Sasha Baron Cohen, dropped out, accusing King of trying to sanitise Mercury’s life — a claim King denied. The role was later filled by Rami Malek.
The nephew of Michael Jackson, Jafaar Jackson, is cast to portray his uncle.
Alongside him, the cast also includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson and Miles Teller as manager John Branca.
The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham will play Diana Ross.
The first trailer of the production was released to critics at CinemaCon in April and was reportedly well received.
Jackson’s career, which spanned four decades, shattered racial barriers and set new standards for global stardom.
His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album in music history, with 70 million copies sold worldwide, and he had 13 No. 1 singles in the U.S.A decade after Chandler’s accusations, Jackson’s Neverland Ranch was raided by authorities, and he was arrested on suspicion of molesting another boy.
He was acquitted of all charges following a 2005 trial. But, Jackson also faced allegations in civil lawsuits.
Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who shared their stories in the documentary Leaving Neverland, continue their legal battles, with a trial scheduled for next year.
Jackson died aged 50 in 2009 as a result of a propofol overdose while preparing for his comeback tour, This Is It.
His physician, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drug to Jackson.
