Arguably no pop star in living memory can rival Michael Jackson in terms of popularity, influence or controversy — and the filmmakers behind the upcoming musical biopic Michael are learning the hardest lesson imaginable for the final installment. Helmed by action director Antoine Fuqua, best known for "Training Day" and the "Equalizer" trilogy, and written by veteran scribe John Logan ("Gladiator," "The Aviator," "Skyfall"), the drama spared no expense. of star power in an attempt to capture the same thunder that turned "Bohemian Rhapsody" into a runaway hit in 2018. In addition to Miles Teller, the cast includes Newly nominated Academy Award for Best Actor Coleman DomingoLaura Harrier and even Jackson's nephew Jafar Jackson in his feature film debut as the King of Pop. A Jackson biopic has been in the works since at least 2019 and, with filming complete, the creative team was in the middle of post-production when, talking about "Bohemian Rhapsody," they hit a snag. And when I say "flick", I mean the worst possible setback that could ever affect a blockbuster of this magnitude.

Matthew Belloni, the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter who created his own newsletter called Puck, has released a bombshell new report revealing the turmoil that engulfed the filming of 'Michael'. Apparently, Fuqua and his team had to go back to the drawing board as a result of a legal snafu that, somehow, no one at the Jackson estate (who approved the script and the use of Jackson's actual music) caught on. moment. This includes the decision to settle the well-known sexual abuse and pedophilia allegations surrounding Jackson that ultimately led to his prosecution (though not conviction) in 2005. As it turns out, the film was never legally allowed to dramatize alleged victim Jordan Chandler or his family in the first place.

Amazingly, this meant that the the entire finished act had to undergo extensive reshoots, delaying the film's release by at least six months and almost certainly costing someone (or more) their job. Read on for all the details on what is sure to be the craziest story of 2025.

Of all the reasons to make a Michael Jackson biopic, the ability to tell the famous celebrity's story while using all of his beloved songs would be at the top of that list. That, of course, required approval from the Jackson family estate, which carefully guarded the rights to such productions and almost certainly required full approval of the script before signing on to "Michael." As dubious as that may be to those worried that the film could potentially whitewash what was, in reality, a terribly complicated legacy, the pressing matter that hampered the production has to do with someone failing to cross all their selves and to dot their T's while looking at the script.

As Pack's report notes, that "someone" would be John Branca, the executor of Jackson's estate (and who actually appears in the biopic, played by actor Miles Teller). According to Belloni, "Michael" producer Graham King was the deeply unfortunate soul who had to pick up the phone as the film neared completion to receive word from Branca that the film could not be released in its current form. (The recorders are described as "blindsided" by the news.) To quote directly from the original article:

"Years before the signing of the Michael movie with the Chandlers featured in the script, the Jackson team agreed that they would never involve the family in any such movie. Yes, according to two sources, there is a signed contract with the Chandlers that prohibits any dramatization of them or their stories. Ah, that deal, which was overlooked by the estate during a script check, has now done as planned. the story and several key scenes that were shot unusable."

Mind you, this has come after Lionsgate has already rolled out the red carpet for 'Michael' with early looks at CinemaCon 2024 and talked about the wow factor involved in the Jackson's nephew, Jafar Jackson, perfectly embodies the looks and physicality of his late uncle. The film was originally scheduled for release in April this year, but Deadline announced back in November of last year that the biopic has been delayed until October 2025. Now we know exactly why it happened.

Of course, all this unforeseen drama remains to be seen as to when - or if - 'Michael' will be able to be released in its new and updated form. Reshoots are a fairly common practice throughout the industry, but rarely on such a scale. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story infamously endured a rocky production as Tony Gilroy took over director Gareth Edwards in order to rewrite large parts of the final act and, as stated earlier, "Bohemian Rhapsody" survives original director Bryan Singer, who was fired from production midway through filming on its way to becoming a near-billion dollar box office hit. At the very least, there's recent precedent for what the cast and crew of "Michael" are experiencing now ... but it's an open question whether this will ever actually reach the finish line.

While all the headlines will shed light on the final act adjustments, Belloni's reporting actually shows that this is an even bigger issue. As he explained:

The screenplay ('Michael') begins and ends during the 1993 investigation into statements about Jackson's anatomy made by Jordan Chandler, the then 13-year-old boy whose molestation claim led to global headlines and an eventual $20 million settlement. portrays Jackson as the naïve victim of the Chandlers, whose baseless claims force Jackson to endure ridicule and persecution until he finally relents, his resolve and reputation forever shattered."

As troubling (and problematic) as that narrative framing is, it also means the filmmakers will have to redo much of the first (and likely middle) act as well. There's a famous saying in screenwriting circles that third-act problems are actually first-act problems, and they may never feel more relevant than they do here. As of now, Fuqua and Logan are rewriting and revising the script before submitting it to Lionsgate as early as this week, according to Pack. With Jackson's estate footing the bill for reshoots, word is the creative team is optimistic they can salvage this mess. Whether or not that will actually happen is anyone's guess.

Michael is currently slated for release on October 3, 2025.