Trigger warning: This article contains mention of sexual abuse.
Michael, an upcoming biopic based on the life of Michael Jackson starring Jafar Jackson, is seeing a major delay after the discovery of a legal issue related to an earlier settlement with one of the Bad singer’s molestation accusers.
The film, initially scheduled to release in April 2025, has been pushed to October next year as the makers work out the issue. According to a report from Puck on January 23, 2025, the filmmakers are rewriting parts of the script and struggling to recast the film.
Reports reveal that almost an entire third of the film is now unusable, due to the King of Pop’s estate ignoring a key clause in its settlement with the accused of tampering.
The film was reshot because Jackson reached a settlement with Jordan Chandler’s family in 1993, which included a legal clause banning any reference to or dramatization of the case. Jordan Chandler, who was 13 at the time, had accused the Thriller singer of sexual assault. The out-of-court settlement reportedly totaled USD 25 million.
The settlement agreement that was overlooked during the review of the film’s script is one of the major legal issues, as Chandler’s story is a large part of the story.
However, a spokesperson recently told People magazine, “The Michael Jackson biopic is not in complete chaos. The inflammatory headlines about the film being stalled are not true. The film is moving forward, and reshoots are scheduled to take place in March. Has been.”
Jackson’s estate has consistently denied all allegations of abuse. In 2005, Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michaels, starring Jafar Jackson and Colman Domingo, will be released in theaters on October 3, 2025.
Also read: Michael Jackson’s unreleased tracks from the ’90s resurface in the most unexpected way
