Lionsgate has announced that they will be producing a biopic about the late Michael Jackson. The film, titled Michael, will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, with Graham King as the producer. John Branca and John McClain, executors of Jackson’s estate, will co-executive produce the film.
Jackson had an impressive career, earning 13 Grammy Awards and becoming known as the “King of Pop” for his classic hits such as “Billie Jean” and “Man In The Mirror.” His estate made $75 million in 2022, making him the sixth highest-paid dead celebrity of the year, according to Forbes. This was mostly generated from the Broadway musical, which has since launched a national tour and London production.
The biopic may bring to the surface some of the controversy that has long been associated with Jackson, such as his investigations by police in 1993 over claims that he sexually abused children and his 2005 charges of child molestation. Jackson denied the claims when he was alive, and his estate maintains his innocence. Despite this, the Broadway musical produced by his estate has been highly successful, having won four Tony awards and having over 94% capacity each week.
The biopic, Michael, will provide an opportunity to revisit Jackson's life, music, and controversy. It remains to be seen if the film will be a success, but with Fuqua at the helm, Logan writing the script, and King producing, it is sure to be an interesting and thought-provoking effort.