Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Preview:
‘Michael’ has set records for biopic movies on its first weekend.
It topped the domestic box office with $97 million.
Elsewhere, new releases struggled.
It may have arrived laden with controversies about re-shoots and didn’t exactly strike a chord with critics, but audiences have certainly embraced ‘Michael’, the biopic of troubled music superstar Michael Jackson.The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has kicked off its run at the box office as an instant success, earning $97 million for first place.
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The movie’s ticket sales rank as the best start of all time for a biopic, smashing the record set by 2015’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’ ($60 million). And they tower above 2018’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which opened to $51 million. Can it match the latter’s huge run, though? That’s a bigger question. Still, with $217 million globally in one weekend, it’s a solid start.
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Previous champion ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ was pushed down to second place after three weekends in the No. 1 spot. Universal’s animated sequel added $21.2 million, boosting revenues to $384 million domestically and more than $800 million globally.
‘Project Hail Mary’, meanwhile, was third with $13.2 million, a remarkable tally for a film in its sixth weekend of release. So far, the space epic has generated a mighty $305 million in North America and $613 million worldwide.
What about other new releases?
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Besides ‘Michael,’ other new releases fared less well. A24’s thriller ‘Mother Mary’, starring Anne Hathaway as a pop star on the eve of a comeback, earned $1.3 million.
And ‘Lorne’, a documentary about ‘Saturday Night Live’ boss Lorne Michaels, struggled to break out with $70,000 from 248 theaters. The film has collected $426,000 while playing in limited release.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Bruce Talamon.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur.
Director Antoine Fuqua’s new biopic ‘Michael’ is a sanitized look at the legendary performer’s career from joining The Jackson 5 in 1964 to beginning the ‘Bad’ tour in 1987. While the film omits quite a bit of the legendary singer’s controversial past, it focuses on his abusive relationship with his father Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo, and Michael’s journey to become his own artist and get out from under his father’s control.
While the movie hits on all the important moments in that time-period, it falls into familiar biopic pitfalls by not spending enough time in each moment and really exploring what happened and why it was important to Michael’s story. The film feels rushed at times, and really focuses on his relationship with Joe and leaving The Jackson 5, rather than exploring the moments that made him a superstar performer.
However, despite the messy issues with the script and direction, the film is saved by Jaafar Jackson’s commanding performance. The actor perfectly channels his famous uncle, getting the attitude and personality of Michael pitch perfect, while also illuminating his gentle spirit. But Jackson is truly fantastic in the music and dance sequences, mimicking the King of Pop’s moves flawlessly.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
The film begins in the late 1960s and depicts the humble beginnings of The Jackson 5 and their move from a local band in Indiana to being nationally known. It’s here where we see the beginnings of Joe Jackson’s (Colman Domingo) abusive behavior towards his youngest son, Michael, played in those scenes by Juliano Krue Valdi. As the lead singer of the group, Michael feels the pressure put on him by his father and longs to have a normal childhood, which will be a theme across the singer’s entire life.
Eventually, Joe gets the group signed by Motown Records and they become extremely successful, with the family eventually moving to California. It becomes clear quickly, to both Motown’s Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) and super producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson), that Michael is the true star of The Jackson 5 and they encourage him to go solo, against the wishes of his father. This eventually leads to recording ‘Off the Wall’ and then ‘Thriller’, which suddenly made Michael (now played by Jaafar Jackson) the biggest star in the world.
Joe starts trying to cash in on his son’s sudden success and forces Michael to join his brothers on a Jackson 5 tour, rather than a solo tour to support ‘Thriller’. Now, Michael must finally stand up to his father and make his own decisions if he is to truly become the King of Pop.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The biggest problem with ‘Michael’ is that too much is packed into the film, and it doesn’t leave enough room to truly explore those moments. Montages are used to show us the making of the ‘Thriller’ album and video, as well as his legendary performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary event where he did the Moonwalk for the first time. These moments are so big in Michael’s life and pop culture history, that you could make an entire film based on either one event but instead they are relegated to a quick montage.
I also didn’t understand making such a big deal out of the ‘Victory Tour’ and having that be the centerpiece of the film. Although I understand that since they were focusing on Michael and Joe’s relationship, the final Jackson 5 tour seems like the logical place to have their final confrontation.
But the film does seem odd at times, going out of its way to not include any of the controversial moments that happened later in Jackson’s life, although rumor is that some of those scenes were shot and removed for legal reasons. Also, the movie makes no mention of Janet Jackson, which I don’t understand. Michael’s other sister La Toya is depicted, so while it’s a weird choice to not even mention Janet, or pretend she doesn’t exist, I assume it was also a rights issue.
(L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The movie also makes mention of Michael’s fight with his brother Jermaine, but never explores it and the character of Jermaine basically disappears by the second half of the film, which is weird since the actor playing Michael is Jermaine’s real-life son. Awkward! And while Jackson’s mentors Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones are depicted, no real time is spent to explore their relationships to Michael and their influence on his career. But a scene featuring Joe making a deal with the shady Don King is shoehorned in for no real reason, which again, makes no narrative sense.
Written by John Logan (‘Gladiator‘), the script bites off more than it can chew and again, doesn’t give us enough time to really get to know the character or understand the moments that made him great. However, Jackson’s music is pumped throughout the film, and it really is the soundtrack of our lives. The song choices are excellent and helps navigate us through Michael’s story. And kudos to costume designer Marci Rodgers who captured Michael’s fashion perfectly in every era.
Director Antoine Fuqua is a master of the action genre with films like ‘Training Day’ and the ‘Equalizer’ franchise but seems out of his element here. He clearly has a love and passion for MJ’s legacy and does his best to bring it to the screen in a natural way, but it gets buried by the weight of Jackson’s achievements and his overreaching relationship with his father.
Cast and Performances
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The biopic’s success hinges on the performance of the actor playing Michael Jackson, and Jaafar Jackson is nothing short of brilliant in the role. In fact, Jaafar Jackson was born to play Michael Jackson, quite literally, as he is the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine.
Besides the fact that he has a striking resemblance, Jaafar channels his uncle in the most surprising ways, capturing his soft voice, childlike attitude and walk perfectly. But it’s the musical and dance numbers where Jaafar really shines, and I promise you there will be moments when you forget you are not watching the real Michael. It’s also worth mentioning that Juliano Krue Valdi is great as young Michael and helps Jaafar create a rounded character.
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Oscar nominee Colman Domingo gives a menacing performance as Joe Jackson, and while he steps up to the precipice of playing a caricature rather than a character, he never steps over the line. Joe’s abusive relationship with Michael is the heart of the story, and Domingo brings gravitas exploring the role.
While she has limited screen time, actress Nia Long gives one of the best performances of her career as Michael’s mother, Katherine. As one of Michael’s only friends and a true supporter, Long brings an unconditional love to the role that helps illuminate her connection to her son. Finally, Miles Teller is fine as Michael’s manager and lawyer John Banca, but the role doesn’t give the actor much to do.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Director Antoine Fuqua does the best he can with the material but seems lost at times trying to tell Michael’s complex story. But its Jaafar Jackson’s once in a lifetime performance that really brings the King of Pop to life on screen and makes the film worth seeing for any Michael Jackson fan.
‘Michael’ receives a score of 65 out of 100.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
What is the plot of ‘Michael’?
Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
‘Michael’ producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King about their work on ‘Michael’, developing the project, finding the right actor for the role, working with Jaafar Jackson, what moments from Michael’s life they wanted to focus on, which moments they wish they could have included or spent more time on, creating the costumes, and if Fuqua kept any mementos from the production.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
(L to R) Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson and Director Antoine Fuqua on the set of ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Moviefone: To begin with, Antoine, what was your first reaction to reading John Logan’s screenplay and why you personally wanted to tell Michael’s story on the big screen?
Antoine Fuqua: My first reaction was that it’s a solid screenplay about Michael Jackson. My second reaction was, “Who’s going to play Michael Jackson?” When I met with Graham, he introduced me to Jaafar, and the rest is history as far as that goes. But, yeah, it’s daunting when you read a Michael Jackson script by John Logan. It’s a great script and then we had to find Michael and Jaafar was no question the right choice.
MF: Graham, to that point, I understand that you discovered Jaafar and recommended him to Antoine. At what point did you realize he was the right choice?
Graham King: Over lunch. I had a lunch with Jaafar. I know the family well and I’ve known (his father) Jermaine since 1981. I met with Jaafar and during that lunch, I kept asking him if he was auditioning, because he was channeling Michael. It was very eerie and weird. He kept saying, “I don’t want to be an actor. I’ve got no interest in acting.” I kept saying, “Just be honest with me.” Because obviously I’ve produced a few movies, and you know what it is when you sit down with an actor who wants a job, and I kept thinking it’s reverse psychology. “No, I don’t want to act.” But he really didn’t. Two weeks after that lunch, I said, “If you’re up for it, let’s go through some training and bootcamp.” Kind of like what I put Rami Malek through to play Freddie Mercury, but at a much different level. In fact, the first time he spent a month with Rich + Tone, who were Michael’s choreographers, and they said, “We’re not sure. We’re not confident that he can get these dance moves down.” He called me that night and he said, “Give me some time and then come and see. I’ll show you what I’ve got.” I think it was about a month later, we both went to Hayvenhurst, to the house that he was staying in, which is Michael’s house in Encino. He just blew us away with his dance moves. I mean, he got it down. The only thing he asked for in that month was, he kept saying, “I want mirrors. Just get me long, tall mirrors and let me do my thing.” I mean, look at that performance now. It’s incredible.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
MF: Antoine, can you talk about the first time you did a screen test with Jaafar? Was that when you realized you found your Michael?
AF: Yeah, it was. We did a screen test with Jaafar, and he came out as Michael. It was my first time seeing him in person as Michael, and I was kind of blown away just on his whole presence. That got me right away. Then we put him in front of the camera and started filming him doing different things. He would sing a little bit and dance a little bit. Then me and Graham were sitting there, and we asked Jaafar a question. I can’t remember what it was, but he answered it as if he was Michael and tears started flowing around the room. Our cinematographer was crying. I looked back, he had tears in his eyes. We were all trying to hide it, but he really answered in such an honest, pure way. He’s never acted in his life. I just thought, “This guy’s special.” That was the moment for me. It was just off the cuff. He didn’t know it was coming. I wanted to see if he was in the moment. Was he just here in makeup or was he in the moment? I threw something at him, and he just paused, and he thought about it, and he answered. It was just so beautiful, elegant, honest, and pure. I was like, “This Jaafar is special.”
MF: Graham, why did you want to focus on this specific time in Michael’s life, and how do you think your experience producing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ prepared you to make this movie?
GK: I guess I’ve made a career out of taking these iconic artists or people like Muhammad Ali, Howard Hughes, and Freddie Mercury, obviously, and showing the world a side that they’ve never seen before and humanizing them, these iconic people. I think it’s such a challenge to find that three act structure to make it an entertaining film and not a documentary. You kind of have fun with it. I have fun with it. Of course, there is also the music side, having the rights to Queen’s catalog and now Michael’s catalog, and really digging into the songs we’re going to use and the time periods of the movie. I was at Dodger Stadium in 1984 at the ‘Victory Tour’ when Michael quit. It was the most amazing organic third act drama and conflict moment you could ask for. You couldn’t ask for it any better. A writer couldn’t write it any better than that. I remember talking to Michael’s brothers about it, “Did you know that he was going to do this?” They were like, “No, we had no idea, and we kind of thought he was playing at the time. We didn’t know he was serious.” So that was sitting with John Logan and Antoine and saying, “Let’s head for that moment and make that the pinnacle point of the storytelling and put Joe at the side of the stage,” because he’s going to tell Joe, and he does it in front of 50,000 people at Dodger Stadium.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
MF: Antoine, can you talk about recreating iconic moments in Michael’s life like the making of the ‘Thriller’ video and his performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show and was there any one moment that you wish you had more time to explore?
AF: I mean, everything. Right? Because being a director, you never have enough time. But it’s the quiet moments you got to get just right. It’s really the quiet moments. The bigger moments we know, the performances, and we knew what we needed to do. It was the more quiet, intimate moments that you hope you capture the spirit of Michael in each moment. What’s interesting with Jaafar is that we would try different things to find the right tone, and the right frequency. Again, Jaafar’s never acted before, but he was so good that I would forget. We’d go to Jaafar, try something, and he would nail it. Then we would realize, “This guy has never acted before in his life, and we’re throwing these things at him.” He would come through with flying colors every single time. I don’t remember him missing too many beats at all. But making the bigger moments was magical. Because of the authenticity of the film, it lives in all the real places like Hayvenhurst, we had where he recorded ‘Off the Wall’, where he shot the ‘Thriller’ video, and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where Motown 25 took place, all real places. You get chills whenever you go to those kinds of places and remember those moments. The idea that we had the opportunity to recreate it and do that was a little of an out of body experience at times. It’s a big responsibility to get it just right. So, Graham and I, we really would study what it was and look at what we’re doing and compare it. Because we knew Michael’s audience, they’re going to do that, every little move. So, it was daunting, but exciting and magical. When we shot the ‘Thriller’ video, we had a full moon every night, which was amazing. I’ve never seen a crew more excited about a scene. When I got dropped off on the set, the grips and everybody had on wolf masks, and they were dancing around to ‘Thriller’. It was like this big event. It was like a movie within itself. So, that to me was a special day.
MF: Graham, is there any moment from Michael’s life during this period that you wanted to put in the film but just couldn’t because of time?
GK: Certainly, the ‘Dancing Machine’ era, when Michael was, I think, 16 or 17, around that era. We thought about putting that in. But when you’re making a film, you’ve got to have a certain running time and you can’t tell every story you want to tell, so you’ve got to make sacrifices. That cut from young Michael at the county fair to Michael at the window with Quincy Jones, I think that time cut worked well for our story as opposed to stopping in different times like the ‘Dancing Machine’ era.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Finally, Antoine, can you talk about working with your costume designer Marci Rodgers to recreate all of Michael’s famous outfits for the film, and did you keep a sequenced glove for yourself as a memento?
AF: I got the producer sitting here, I’m not going to tell. No, I didn’t keep anything. I wish I could. I mean, Marci did a great job, but we had a great crew and a great team. They really did their homework, and she did her homework. She would design these jackets, like when he’s holding the Grammys, and the jacket was about 15 pounds. It had all the jewels and everything. I thought, “Did it have to feel this heavy for Jaafar?” It was authentic though. Those were the real Grammys. Those were Michael’s Grammys he’s holding. I mean, the whole crew, they really cared so much about getting it right, every little detail.
‘Michael’ opens in theaters on April 24th.
What is the plot of ‘Michael’?
Discover the story of Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world, highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career.
Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Per the official blurb: “The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before.”
(L to R) Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.Nia Long as Katherine Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson/Lionsgate.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael.’ Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur
Preview:
The first picture from ‘Michael’ is online.
Jaafar Jackson plays his famous uncle in the biopic.
Antoine Fuqua is in the director’s chair for the movie.
While the story of Michael Jackson’s life has been brought to screens in TV movies and specials, the somewhat controversial pop icon has yet to get the full big screen treatment.
That changes next year when the biopic simply titled ‘Michael’ arrives on our screens. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, it’ll follow the life of the King of Pop and features Jaafar Jackson –– nephew of the late star –– playing his uncle for most of the running time.
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We have our first look at Jackson in the role, performing “Man in the Mirror” from the 1992-1993 “Dangerous” Tour.
Producer Graham King had this to say about the casting choice:
“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael. He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”
What’s the story of ‘Michael’?
Michael Jackson in ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Written by John Logan and produced by ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s King, ‘Michael’ follows the complicated man who becomes the King of Pop, from triumphs to tragedies, from his human side and personal struggles to his creative genius.
We’re promised an “honest” portrayal of the man, but given the close family connections, that’s always a complicated issue. The current Bob Marley biopic ‘One Love’ has been accused of shaving off some of the music legend’s rougher images.
Who else is in the movie?
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International’s Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael.’
Alongside Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo is playing his father Joe with Nia Long as his mother, Katherine. Juliano Valdi will be the younger Michael, Miles Teller has scored the role of powerful entertainment lawyer John Branca, who shepherded Jackson’s career as he transitioned from a singing sensation in a boy band to world-renowned mega star.
We’re sure there will be more casting announcements to come, but with the film not due until next year, expect them to arrive in drip feed fashion.
Here’s what director Antoine Fuqua said about the casting choice:
“We have assembled an incredible team of artists for this project –– hair & makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything –– and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film. But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it.”
When will ‘Michael’ be in theaters?
‘Michael’ is going to be released on April 18th, 2025.
Michael Jackson in ‘Moonwalker.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International’s Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael.’
Preview:
Colman Domingo will play Joe Jackson in new biopic ‘Michael’.
Antoine Fuqua is directing the movie.
‘Michael’ is set for release in April next year.
With his first Oscar nomination under his belt for playing real-life Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin in Netflix biopic ‘Rustin’, it seems Colman Domingo is not done playing historical figures.
Jackson was the father of the brood that gave us the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson and became infamous for his hard-driving treatment of his talented children. Michael in particular recalled his physical and emotional abuse, but also credited his father’s behavior as partly responsible for his success.
He’ll certainly be a challenging role to play. Jaafar Jackson, who is the actual nephew of Michael, is on board to play the role of his uncle for the majority of the movie.
Michael Jackson in ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Written by John Logan and produced by ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s Graham King, ‘Michael’ follows the complicated man who becomes the King of Pop, from triumphs to tragedies, from his human side and personal struggles to his creative genius.
Who else is in the movie?
Alongside Jaafar Jackson and now Domingo, Juliano Valdi is playing the younger Michael.
Domingo casting: the actor, director and producer speak
‘The Equalizer 3’ director Antoine Fuqua.
Here’s what Domingo said about the new role and his co-star:
“I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon. Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation. After seeing him in rehearsal, my mind was blown. There is something divine about the way that Jaafar is channeling his late uncle. His talent and embodiment of Michael’s essence is simply on another level.”
Director Antoine Fuqua added:
“Colman has such incredible range – he puts in the work to deeply inhabit his characters and understand their true essence and motivation. I’m grateful to be working with an actor with his passion and ability to portray the many sides of Joe Jackson: a husband, a father and a manager.”
Producer Graham King had this comment:
“Few actors present themselves with Colman’s screen presence and force of will. We’re so fortunate to have an actor with his undeniable talent portraying Joe Jackson on screen. We couldn’t be more excited to have him join us on this journey.”
When will ‘Michael’ be in theaters?
The movie is scheduled for release via Universal on April 18th, 2025
Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in ‘Rustin.’ Photo: David Lee/Netflix.
When Antoine Fuqua took on directing ‘Emancipation’ a couple of years ago, he probably imagined a film that could attract awards attention while sensitively but honestly tackling a difficult subject.
Jackson surely needs little introduction. Raised along with his singer siblings by domineering father Joe Jackson, the Indiana native first rose to fame performing with his family as The Jackson 5.
Even beyond the likes of sister Janet, Michael rose to become a huge star, famous for hit songs and dance moves such as the Moonwalk. His videos boasted expensive production values (and directors such as John Landis) and he amassed a huge fortune.
Yet his life was also marked by chaotic decisions, a serious injury plastic surgery on the set of a Pepsi commercial in 1984 that led to him starting to take painkillers, and pedophile accusations that dogged his later years up to his death in 2009 at age 50, from cardiac arrest caused by a cocktail of sedatives.
(L to R) Director Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith behind the scenes of ‘Emancipation,’ premiering December 9, 2022 on Apple TV+.
“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am,” says Fuqua in a statement. “For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work––the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”
“Antoine’s films provide personal perspectives of larger–than–life characters that continuously captivate global audiences,” adds King. “I’m confident that Antoine will make an exceptional and compelling film that will both celebrate and give profound new insights into the life of the King of Pop.”
King and Logan have been trying to put this one together for a few years now, looking to score the same level of success that ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ enjoyed, even though this promises to generate plenty of controversy, especially given the lawsuits and molestation accusations that swirled around the singer’s later life.
Given that filming is planned for later this year, the search is surely already on for an actor––or actors, if it aims to cover his life––to play Jackson. Fuqua has recruited regular collaborator, cinematographer Robert Richardson to work on this one.
Lionsgate is backing the movie, but there’s naturally no word yet on when it might arrive on screens. ‘The Equalizer 3’, meanwhile, will be in theaters on September 1st.
Michael Jackson from the ‘Bad’ music video.
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Presley was born in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1968. She grew up living in her father’s Graceland estate until the age of four, when her parents separated. Presley moved with her mother to Los Angeles, California. Even though her parents were separated, she continued to see both, splitting time between both Los Angeles and Memphis. When she was 9, Presley’s father died of an apparent heart failure associated with prescription drug abuse.
Her early life was, despite the seeming advantages of her parents, not an easy one, and Presley struggled with addiction. At 17, Presley was sent to Scientology’s Celebrity Center rehab facility. There, Presley met musician Danny Keough. Presley and Keough married on October 3, 1988. and had two children, actress Riley Keough and a son named Benjamin, who died of apparent suicide in 2020.
Presley and Keough divorced in 1994. Only 20 days after her divorce to Keough was finalized, Presley married superstar Michael Jackson, who reportedly proposed over the phone after only four months of dating. Their relationship was short-lived, however, and Presley filed for divorce from Jackson in January of 1996. In 2000, while engaged to musician John Oszajca, she met Nicolas Cage. She soon broke off the engagement to Oszajca to date Cage. The couple married soon after in Hawaii on August 10, 2002 but divorced a mere 108 days later.
On January 22, 2006, Presley married for the fourth time, this time to guitarist, producer and director Michael Lockwood. The couple welcomed fraternal twins, Harper and Finley, on October 7, 2008. In 2016, Presley filed for divorce from Lockwood.
(L to R) Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, and Lisa Marie Presley, at ‘Elvis’ Memphis event 6/11/22.
She inherited her father’s mansion, Graceland. And after the death of her father, grandfather and great-grandmother, she became sole owner of Presley’s entire estate when she turned 25. She sold 85% of the estate, which had an estimated value of $100 million when she inherited it, in 2005 to Industrial Media, but kept control of Graceland.
Following in her father’s footsteps, she forged a career as a singer, releasing several albums, including “To Whom It May Concern”, “Now What” and “Storm & Grace,” and enjoyed some success.
Priscilla Presley issued a statement after her daughter’s death. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Presley said. “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”
Rita Wilson, who met Lisa Marie after husband Tom Hanks worked on ‘Elvis’, took to Instagram to remember her. “Our hearts are broken with the sudden and shocking passing of Lisa Marie Presley tonight. Tom and I had spent some time with the family during the ‘Elvis’ movie promotional tour. Lisa Marie was so honest and direct, vulnerable, in a state of anticipation about the movie,” Wilson wrote. “She spoke so eloquently about her father, what the movie meant to her, that it was a celebration of her dad. She had her gorgeous daughters Finley and Harper with her who made us all laugh. She privately showed us her home, Graceland, and she made it feel like home to us. She was so gracious to us, Austin, Baz, and guests. If you haven’t heard her music please go listen. She had a sultry voice, a power and tenderness, that I have always loved.”
She is survived by her mother, Priscilla Presley, her three daughters and a half-brother, Navarone Garibaldi.
Lisa Marie Presley at the TCL Chinese Theatres hand & foot event 6/21/22. Photo: Eric Charbonneau.
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Hollywood clearly loves its musical biopics. These movies are real crowd-pleasers, combining some of our favorite songs with a satisfying story about artists achieving fame and fortune, hitting rock bottom and bouncing back for the sake of the music. Recent releases like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman” prove that the rock biopic is as popular as ever. But Hollywood still has a lot of rock stars to get to. Here are 13 more rock icons (including both solo musicians and bands) that still need a good biopic.
Syd Barrett
Harvest
While a general Pink Floyd biopic would be great, we’re especially keen on seeing a movie devoted to the tragic life of original frontman Syd Barrett. The film could focus on the band’s original rise to prominence in the psychedelic era and the struggles Barrett faced as drug abuse exacerbated his mental problems. We’d love to see the film take a crack at replicating Barrett’s live renditions of early Floyd hits like “Interstellar Overdrive.”
David Bowie
RCA
David Bowie was among the most unique voices in rock — a true artist who helped popularize the glam rock genre even as he constantly reinvented himself with every new album. Bowie as legions of fans, but how many of them truly have a sense of the man behind iconic characters like Aladdin Sane, Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke?
Eric Clapton
Reprise
Eric Clapton is one of the true titans of rock, giving us countless hits and even managing to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three separate times. His career has certainly taken many interesting twists and turns. The sad backstory behind his hit song “Tears in Heaven” alone may be a great foundation for a biopic.
Kurt Cobain
DGC
Kurt Cobain will probably always be one of the most fascinating figures in rock. He lived out the quintessential rock star life — achieving massive fame, battling addiction and psychological problems and ultimately flaming out long before his time. The trick is to chronicle his life in a respectful way that doesn’t glamorize or fall victim to the usual tropes. Cobain himself would have hated that more than anyone.
Fleetwood Mac
Warner Bros.
As a group, Fleetwood Mac is responsible for some of the most popular rock albums ever created. But the story behind those albums is almost as fascinating as the music itself. This is a band notorious for behind-the-scenes drama and romantic intrigue. Maybe the time has finally come to explore that drama in the form of a biopic.
Michael Jackson
Epic
Michael Jackson truly earned the title “The King of Pop,” with charisma and dance moves every bit as impressive as his voice. Unfortunately, he was also a very damaged individual, and allegations of sexual abuse continue to swirl even years after his death. Any MJ biopic faces the difficult task of both finding someone to portray an inimitable icon and acknowledging the more unsavory aspects of his life. We’d love to see someone try, though.
Janis Joplin
Columbia
Janis Joplin is a prime biopic candidate for all sorts of reasons. She’s one of the figureheads of the late ’60s rock movement, as well as being one of the first female rock stars ever. She’s also a part of the tragic “27 Club” – artists who died long before their time at the young age of 27. There’s surely a fascinating story to be told about her life and legacy.
Madonna
Sire
As the undisputed Queen of Pop, one of the biggest superstars of the ’80s and the best-selling female recording artist in history, it pretty much goes without saying that Madonna deserves a biopic. She’s led a very interesting life and courted more than her share of controversy. The only question is how to narrow down that life into manageable movie.
Prince
Warner Bros.
Prince Rogers Nelson was a fascinating study in contrasts. He was one of the greatest guitar players in the world and a truly electrifying stage presence, yet he also took great pains to keep his personal life (including his chronic medical issues) behind closed doors. The result being that, like David Bowie, few fans have a good sense of who Prince truly was off the stage. A good biopic could fix that.
The Rolling Stones
Decca
The Rolling Stones have been one of the few constant fixtures on the ever-changing rock scene. They made their reputation during the British Invasion of the 1960’s, and they’ve kept churning out hits in the decades the followed. Members like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards rank among the most colorful and controversial figures in the industry. This is one band that could easily support an entire series of biopics.
Bruce Springsteen
Columbia
Bruce Springsteen appeals to wide swaths of music fans thanks to his strong musicianship and poetic songwriting. His life may not be as marked by controversy as many of his rock star peers, but we still think he’s prime candidate for the biopic treatment. How did he earn his reputation as “The Boss,” and what inspired him to create some of the most enduring works of American music?
Stevie Wonder
Tamia
Stevie Wonder‘s life and career practically call out for a biopic. He was a true child prodigy, establishing his career at the tender age of 11 despite being born blind. In the decades since, Wonder has become one of the biggest stars in the world, raked in countless awards and won over generations with his incredible talent and stage presence. He’s perfect for a feel-good rock biopic.
Frank Zappa
Zappa Records
There was no one else quite like Frank Zappa. This rock star always followed his own muse, creating genre-defying works that might not have always been commercially successful, but won him the admiration of musicians and music lovers the world over. He was also superhumanly prolific, crafting no fewer than 60 albums before his death at 52. That impressive career deserves a biopic.
This weekend the two-part Michael Jackson documentary “Leaving Neverland” airs on HBO (it starts on Sunday and concludes on Monday) and if the reaction out of Sundance is any indication of what we can expect from the controversial documentary, well, come Tuesday it’s probably going to be very difficult to listen to any Michael Jackson song again. Or watch any of his music video or movie projects, either. Which is why we’d like to take the time to appreciate “Captain EO,” his 3D marvel for the Disney Parks, while we still can.
First, a bit of background: “Captain EO” was part of an initiative by newly-instated Disney CEO Michael Eisner to make Disneyland and Walt Disney World hipper and more appealing to kids. Considering Disney’s live-action film output had, since Walt’s death in 1966, not exactly been stellar, he turned to George Lucas to assist in this endeavor. Together, they came up with Star Tours and “Captain EO,” a “4D” film directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who needed a big commercial moment after a string of disappointments) and starring Michael Jackson. Jackson had been in Disney’s orbit for a while at this point and was well known for visiting Disneyland and Walt Disney World frequently. Also, he almost starred in a “Mary Poppins” sequel (yes, really). But that’s a story for another time.
The storyline for “Captain EO,” about a ragtag group of space adventurers who bring peace (through music, of course) to a cold and hostile world, was one of several ideas Walt Disney Imagineers brought to Jackson. Another was a kind of updated version of “Thriller,” with Jackson traveling around the park and bringing various characters to life. (They even spoke with “Thriller” director John Landis about the project.) Finally, the “Captain EO” concept was decided upon, since it combined a different storyline that featured a “Peter Pan”-like set-up (which Jackson loved) and the movie’s futuristic theme park setting of Tomorrowland (in Disneyland) and Futureworld (in EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World). Coppola chose the title “Captain EO,” naming after Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn.
Production was notoriously problematic, with Coppola and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro struggling with the cumbersome 3D cameras and visual effects and Lucas, who was thought to be a more hands-on producer thanks to his extensive knowledge of this type of production, taking a backseat role. As comedian Doug Benson, who served as a back-up dancer on the film, recalled on the podcast “I Was There Too,” at some point the production ran out of money completely, with trained professionals replaced by cheap extras. The final budget for the 17-minute extravaganza was a whopping $23.7 million, at the time the most expensive per-minute movie ever made (that stat would be eclipsed, a few years later, by James Cameron and his theme park attraction “T2 3D: Battle Across Time”). A popular rumor from the production’s extensive reshoots had the team replacing the head of robot character Minor Domo with a toilet’s ballcock because they couldn’t locate the original prop. Disney brass was apparently troubled by the amount of hip thrusts and crotch grabs, which is why there are moments during the movie that seem extra grainy; it’s because they had to be zoomed in to avoid the offending area. (Some thrusts still made it in.)
When the movie premiered at Walt Disney World and Disneyland in 1986, more than a year after it was supposed to (they had to shove essentially a “proof of concept” film called Magic Journeys into the theaters specifically built for “Captain EO” after the delay), it was met with the full-court Disney marketing blitz, including an hour-long making-of television special (hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, who called the film “a 17-minute miracle of a movie”) and another hour-long grand opening celebration from Disneyland that featured some truly incredible of-the-moment celebrities Valerie Harper, Debra Winger and, um, OJ Simpson. The special was hosted by Patrick Duffy and Justine Bateman with performances by The Moody Blues, Robert Palmer and Starship (they performed on the Tomorrowland stage!) That grand opening celebration is also notable for a weird children’s choir version of Jackson’s “We Are Here to Change the World,” a song written for “Captain EO” and not officially released until a 2004 box set (and even that was a truncated version).
As for the attraction itself, it opened on the same week in Florida and California in September 1986, a coordinated effort that seems downright incredible, even for the modern-day Disney machine, and came festooned with dazzling in-theater effects that earned its “4D” moniker.
Disney
And honestly, “Captain EO” was an expertly choreographed thrill ride. The story is pretty basic, with Jackson and his ragtag band of misfits crashing on a planet full of designs liberally borrowed from H.R. Giger (Anjelica Huston’s Supreme Leader make-up is particularly egregious), but the song-and-dance numbers are literally out-of-this-world and the movie’s message of peace and hope in technologically troubled times resonated at both theme parks. Putting on those plastic purple shades and walking into that theater, you felt like you really were being transported along on some intergalactic voyage. Disney allowed for a television broadcast of the movie once; it aired on MTV in the promotional lead-up to Jackson’s “HIStory” album release. It was just as amazing at home.
Of course, all good things come to an end, and after the child molestation charges were first leveled against Jackson in 1993, it quietly closed in EPCOT the following year (and remained open in Tokyo Disneyland until 1996, Disneyland until 1997 and in Disneyland Paris until 1998). Associating a potential pedophile (even if he was never convicted) with the Disney brand was just too much. Of course, after Jackson’s untimely death, Disney started screening the film for members of Jackson’s family and friends and the decision was reached that the attraction would return for a limited time under the title “Captain EO Tribute” (this undoubtedly had to do with some legal reasons). And while the theater had gone through some changes and many of the effects didn’t return (more were back in California than Florida), it was still a blast to see Captain EO liberate a gloomy planet through the power of 1980s pop. This resurrected EO was a surprise smash, playing to packed houses and selling tons of merchandise. This iteration of “Captain EO” ended up running for 5 years in most parks, which is truly incredible.
Now, it seems like the time to sunset both our warm feelings of the attraction and a healthy appreciation of Michael Jackson in general. We haven’t seen the two-part documentary yet but early reports say that it is scathing and really compelling and will fundamentally alter your view of the artist forever. It’s a shame, but knowledge is power. Captain EO himself would probably agree.
