Lionsgate studio chief Adam Fogelson says a sequel to this weekend’s smash hit biopic Michael could begin shooting this year.
“On the podcast The Town With Matt Belloni, Adam Fogelson, the head of the film’s studio, Lionsgate, said that it was probable that a sequel could be shooting either this year or next, and that there is enough source material to warrant a follow-up,” reports NME.
Fogelson said, “There is a massive amount of music… and life experiences separate and apart from allegations… that would fill more than a second movie on its own.”
One sticking point is the director.
Antoine Fuqua directed Michael and has said he would like to helm any sequel. But right now, he’s tied up with his Hannibal movie for Netflix, which stars Denzel Washington.
Obviously, because Michael ended its story in 1988, a sequel would be expected to cover the child abuse allegations that first hit the King of Pop in 1993. In fact, according to various reports, Michael had originally included the abuse allegations. Only after the film was completed did the Jackson Estate discover that Jackson’s 1993 settlement with Jordan Chandler included a clause prohibiting any mention by Jackson or his estate of Jordan in any format.
This resulted in a rewrite and 22 extra days of shooting.
Bringing the abuse allegations into Michael Jackson’s story will require quite a lot of finesse. Michael is about the icon, the myth, the superstar. That’s what the fans want to see — and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s also why Michael broke box office records with a $97 million domestic opening and a global haul of over $200 million.
Jackson fans do not want to see their Jacko tarred and feathered over allegations that they see (and not without reason) as nothing more than legal shakedowns and media manipulation against an innocent man.
From what I know about these abuse cases, if the sequel merely sticks to the facts and doesn’t try to appease all the movie critics who want to see the witch burned, the fans will be satisfied. The facts are on Jackson’s side. The allegations against him do not hold any water with me. That doesn’t mean Jackson didn’t use terrible judgment, especially with the sleepovers, but based on the known facts, no jury or grand jury would vote to convict or even indict.
And in real life, two grand juries refused to indict in 1993. Then, in 2004, a jury acquitted Jackson on all counts.