The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic spent $15million (£11million) on reshoots when production learned it could not include scenes about legal charges brought against the singer.
The film, titled Michael, is due for release on April 22 in the UK, and will dramatise the King of Pop’s rise to megastardom. Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew, will play the title role. In a new report by Variety, it is claimed that the film will end with Jackson at his peak, during the success of the ‘Bad’ album, rather than the ending originally planned.
According to the outlet, much of the third act originally focused on sexual assault charges the star faced in his life. In 1993, Evan Chandler, a dentist and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, accused Jackson of sexually abusing his 13-year-old son Jordan, which he denied. The case was concluded when the two parties reached a financial settlement in 1994.
In 2013, four years after Jackson’s death, choreographer Robson filed a lawsuit against his estate, saying Jackson had sexually abused him between the ages of seven and 14. Former child actor James Safechuck, also came forward with allegations.
Jackson’s estate has continuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him.
The report states the film would have extensively covered the accusations from Jackson’s point of view, however the production discovered late in shooting that a clause in the settlement with the family of Jordan Chandler prevented them from portraying the child on film.
As such, a 22-day reshoot was organised, costing a reported $15million (£11million), which the article said Jackson’s estate covered. The film will now end with Jackson at the height of his popularity, with the dramatic tension coming from his relationship with his father Joe (Colman Domingo), the manager of The Jackson Five.
Recently, Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris, criticised the production, emphasising that she had no involvement in the film and accusing co-executors of her father’s estate of wasting money.
