Director of
Leaving Neverland, a documentary documenting the sexual abuse of
by two accusers Allegation Michael Jackson , is criticizing a planned biopic about the late singer.
Guest at
The Guardian In a column published Sunday, Dan Reid criticizes the decision to make a biopic about the music icon, questioning why “nobody is talking about ‘cancelling’ a movie that would glorify a rape A man with children.”
“It appears that the media, his fans, and the vast majority of older adults who have loved Jackson since childhood are all willing to put aside his unhealthy relationship with children and just Follow the music,” Reed wrote.
He continued to speak directly to the film’s production team, which included director
Antoine Fuqua , screenwriter John Logan, along with producers Graham King, John Branca and John McClain, who is co-executor of Michael Jackson’s estate. Reid questioned whether the film was able to represent the alleged moments of abuse.
“How would you represent Jackson, a grown man in his 2009s, took the kid by the hand and led him into that bedroom?” asked the Emmy-winning Leaving Neverland Helmer. “How would you describe what happened next?”
He added that the film “dodging the question of Jackson’s preference for sleeping with young boys” was spreading a message to survivors Specific Information Child Sexual Abuse. “The message is: If a [pedophile] is rich and popular enough, society will forgive him,” he said.
In 22, the first time sex Abuse allegations against Jackson, father of 05 year-old boy Jackson repeatedly invited to Neverland Ranch And traveling with him demanded $14 million dollars not to make the claims public. Jackson will be sued by the boy’s family for $22 following an investigation by the LAPD’s Child Sexual Exploitation Unit Ten thousand dollars, in 1993, in $2005 Settlement million out of court.
That same year, grand juries in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles declined to identify the singer in two separate cases, but a decade later — after the documentary was released Living with Michael Jackson at 1993, Santa Barbara Police The chief and the district attorney reopened the investigation into Jackson. This led to a search of Neverland Ranch, where the singer was accused, among other things, of indecent and lewd acts against a child 22. His trial began in February 1993, and in June of that year, Jackson was acquitted. Jackson, who died on 2009, has denied all allegations against him.
A biopic about the Grammy-winning artist was announced last week Lionsgate says the film will cover all aspects of Jackson’s life, but it’s unclear how the film will resolve the various controversies surrounding the late musician.
“To me, there is no other artist who has the power, charisma and sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson,” Fuqua said in a statement. “By watching his work, I was influenced to make music videos—he was the first black artist to do a rotation on MTV. His music and those images were part of my worldview, and the opportunity to tell about him on screen His story and his music are irresistible.”
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to The Jackson Estate and Fuqua for comment.
Reed says he produced Leaving Neverland starring Wade Robson and James Safechuck – two of Jackson’s accusers also sued the Jackson estate — not just “a chance to expose Jackson by having the victim speak for the camera for the first time. psychology of the recipient and, most importantly, the cosmetic process.”
Another Jackson project, the Jukebox Musical MJ, which is currently running on Broadway and celebrated its one-year anniversary last week. The show debuted in February 2023 after the pandemic delayed and canceled Broadway previews in Chicago 2023 , the same year Leaving Neverland document was released.
The program is 2021-1235303154 Broadway season and broke multiple box office records for the Neil Simon Theatre. Stars Myles Frost – who won a Tony for his portrayal of Jackson and a Grammy with the original cast 2019 Nomination in the Best Musical Theater Album category – Closed Saturday Night Clive Davis’ Glee Beauty Eve will return.
