Legendary pop icon Michael Jackson is getting the biopic treatment. Lionsgate and director Antoine Fuqua have embarked on project based on the musician’s life titled Michael. The biopic will be produced by Graham King along with John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. John Logan is onboard as scriptwriter.
An online portal quoted Fuqua who said in a statement, “The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am. For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work — the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”
Jackson won 13 Grammys in his life time and rose to fame from child stardom in the Jackson 5 (the pop group he was a part of with his older brothers and sisters). Jackson became probably the biggest pop star in the world and died in 2009 at the age of 50 years. However, his later years were mired with child molestation charges.
Reportedly Lionsgate will address all aspects of Jackson’s life in the film but it remains unclear as to how the various controversies will be depicted in the film since the singer’s estate is producing the film and has vehemently defended him against child molestation charges. Those accusations resurfaced in the public domain courtesy the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
