Michael Jackson Biopic Faces Criticism Over Omission of Abuse Allegations

The Michael Jackson biopic now in theaters has sparked debate among critics and fans alike, with the film drawing a mixed reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at about 40% from critics, while the audience score sits much higher, around 96%.

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

In interviews, Colman Domingo, who portrays Joe Jackson, defended the film’s decision to skip the well-documented sexual assault allegations against Michael. And those claims were the focus of the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, directed by Dan Reed, who has sharp criticisms of the new film.

Leaving Neverland director calls the Michael movie “hilarious” Dan Reed directed Leaving Neverland, which centers on Wade Robson and James Safechuck’s accusations that Michael Jackson abused them as children. He expressed shock at the absence of those allegations in the new biopic, which covers Jackson’s story up to the Bad era in 1988.

“I think it’s hilarious,” Reed told LadBible. “It’s like, ‘Let’s make a film about Jeffrey Epstein, but let’s stop before he starts committing serious criminal offences.’ Or, you know, ‘let’s make a film about Harvey Weinstein, but let’s stop before anyone found out that he was raping people.’ I think it’s jokes, really.”

Reed argues that if a truly honest film about Michael Jackson were being made, it would address the troubling questions surrounding him. He contends: “Michael started abusing James Safechuck, and he was 10 at the time, during the Bad Tour.” He adds that the topic is the “elephant in the room,” and that there’s no plausible explanation other than the truth that he allegedly preferred sexual encounters with underage boys. He concludes, “I’m glad people are kind of noticing that.”

Dan Reed doubts there will be a Michael 2 As the biopic closes with the line “His story continues,” questions have arisen about a potential sequel, with Colman Domingo hinting at a sequel that would cover the 1990s up to Jackson’s death. Reed, however, doubts that a follow-up will happen. He stated in the same interview, “There will never be a sequel.” He even suggested that any future film would be driven by money: “If there’s more cash to be made, it’s all about money. If there’s more cash to be made they will do a second movie, but I’m 100% sure that the second movie won’t address any of the child sex abuse allegations because they can’t, because he was guilty as sin.”

Michael is in cinemas now, and for fans of the genre, you can also check out our list of the best music biopics of all time.