5 articles · Updated · Charleston Gazette-Mail · May 11
Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael” tracks Michael Jackson from 1966 in Gary, Indiana, to the “Bad” tour at Wembley, framing the film as a glossy tribute to his musical ascent.
That focus leaves much of Jackson’s turbulent later life offscreen, with the biopic largely avoiding the controversies that began in the 1990s.
Jaafar Jackson stars as the King of Pop in a production that leans on Neverland-style spectacle and nostalgia more than deeper character study.
The film’s closing line — “His Story Continues” — suggests the omitted years could be reserved for a sequel rather than addressed here.
Why did a 30-year-old legal clause force a $50 million reshoot to erase Michael Jackson's darkest controversies?
Can a sequel tell the controversial truth when its existence depends on a $700 million box office haul?