Leaving Neverland Director Slams Michael Jackson Biopic for Omitting Abuse Allegations

The Michael Jackson biopic currently in theaters has sparked debate among critics and fans alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at 40% among critics (the tomatometer) while drawing 96% with general audiences (the popcornmeter). The film’s portrayal has drawn particular ire from Michael’s family and from those who champion the documentary Leaving Neverland, which examines sexual abuse allegations against the pop icon.

Paris Jackson, Michael’s daughter, has criticized the film as being “filled with inaccuracies,” while his nephew Taj pushed back against critics who dislike the movie.

Colman Domingo, who portrays Joe Jackson in the biopic, defended the film’s decision not to foreground the sexual abuse allegations that have surrounded Michael. Those claims were at the center of 2019’s Leaving Neverland, the documentary directed by Dan Reed. Reed’s take on the new film is sharply critical.

Dan Reed, the director of Leaving Neverland, told LadBible that he was “shocked” by the film’s omission of the alleged abuse, arguing the project stops short of addressing a major element of Michael’s life. Reed compared the omission to other high-profile figures where a significant portion of the story is left out, saying, “It’s like, ‘Let’s make a film about Jeffrey Epstein, but let’s stop before he starts committing serious criminal offences.’” He added that if a truthful depiction were attempted, “the elephant in the room” would have to be acknowledged.

Reed specifically referenced the timeline the biopic covers, noting that he believes Michael began abusing James Safechuck when Safechuck was around 10 years old during the Bad Tour. He argued that an honest film about Michael Jackson would address that reality, and suggested there is no credible exoneration that would justify otherwise.

“Michael started abusing James Safechuck, and he was 10 at the time, during the Bad Tour,” Reed stated, insisting that the truth is difficult to reconcile with a sanitized narrative.

The documentary maker further suggested that there would be no credible incentive for a sequel to the Michael Jackson story because, even if additional music was used to justify another film, the second installment would be unable to address the child abuse allegations. Reed said, “There will never be a sequel,” and argued that if more money were to be made, producers might release a second film, but it “won’t address any of the child sex abuse allegations because they can’t, because he was guilty as sin.”

Michael is currently in cinemas, and debates like this have fed into a broader conversation about how to tell a complex, controversial life story. If you’re interested in related works, you can explore lists of notable music biopics.