*Antoine Fuqua’s ambitious Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael, wrapped filming in May 2024, with a near four-hour cut that insiders claim could be split into two films, per Deadline. The production is reportedly racing against time—and legal entanglements—to meet its October 3 release date.
The trouble began when a report from Puck uncovered a buried clause from a decades-old settlement. Back in 1993, Jackson had been accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old Jordan Chandler, a case that ended with a reported $25 million out-of-court settlement. Tucked within that agreement was a stipulation: the Chandlers could not be mentioned or depicted in any movie. Yet, the script for Michael, which leaned heavily on the Chandler case to frame the pop icon’s tumultuous life, had sailed through approvals without anyone catching the oversight. This reportedly led producers in a frantic scramble to rewrite scenes and schedule reshoots, all while the clock ticks toward the fall premiere.
Despite the chaos, an insider pushed back against the mounting rumors. “The Michael Jackson biopic is not in total chaos. The inflammatory headlines about the moving halting are simply not true,” a source close to the production tells PEOPLE. “The film is moving forward, and reshoots are happening in March.”
Producer Graham King’s company, GK Films, announced in May 2024 that the “Michael” biopic had finished filming. The original release date was April 18, 2025, but was postponed by six months to its current release date of Oct. 3.
The film unpacks Michael’s “triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, captured by his most iconic performances,” per the official synopsis.
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The biopic stars MJ’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, 28, in the lead role. The cast also includes Colman Domingo and Nia Long as parents Joe and Katherine Jackson.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Antoine Fuqua-Directed Michael Jackson Biopic (‘Michael’) Now Set for Fall 2025 Release | WATCH
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