The Michael Jackson biopic was on track to end with the abuse allegations front and center. Instead, a settlement clause barred the Jackson estate from naming accuser Jordan Chandler, so producers spent $15 million on reshoots to stop the movie in 1988 during the Bad World Tour. The reframed ending focused on Michael’s relationship with his father Joe, played by Colman Domingo.
Jaafar Jackson, who played his uncle in the film, says the cut footage doesn’t bother him. He told reporters that even the scenes that weren’t used made him a better actor, and he insisted the family’s real frustration is that Michael’s voice isn’t being heard. The film went on to pass $1 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing biopic ever.
A sequel was confirmed in August and will address the allegations from Michael’s perspective, though Jaafar says he hasn’t been told anything concrete about it yet. The question now is whether a sequel can ever fully separate the art from the legal strings attached to the estate.
What would you want to see from a Michael Jackson sequel? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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