Why Did Michael Jackson Biopic Skip 1993 Lawsuit as Filmmakers Consider Sequel to Cover Later Years

The much-anticipated biopic of late superstar Michael Jackson, Michael, hit cinemas over the weekend, earning a whopping $97 million (£82,684,934) on its first day in the United States, and $217.4 million (£185,316,543) worldwide.

The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the lead role, charts the singer's rise to global fame.

Yet the story stops short of one of the most scrutinised moments in his life, as the 1993 lawsuit against the singer is not included in the biopic.

But, why is it that the production chose not to include the controversial lawsuit Jackson faced in the last decades of his life?

The filmmakers say the reason is legal, not creative.

Legal Agreement Shapes What The Film Is Allowed To Show

Speaking to The New Yorker, Fuqua said the original film includes a part where the police raided the singer's California compound in 1993 as he was embroiled in a controversy following sex abuse allegations from 13-year-old Jordan Chandler.

Fuqua detailed that it was originally the opening scene in 'Michael', but was not made to the final cut, and instead the film ends in 1988, omitting the singer's dark history.

Reports said when Jackson and the Chandler family agreed on a settlement worth $25 million (£21,310,550), there was also an agreement that said the issue with Chandler and the lawsuit shall not be mentioned or dramatised in any movie.

Major Reshoots and Delays Led To Financial Struggles

The exclusion of the 1993 lawsuit was not a small edit. It caused major changes in the film's structure. Fuqua explained in an interview that the team had to rethink parts of the story after filming was already completed, describing the situation as 'a tough period', for them.

But the filmmakers agreed on one thing: the biopic is titled 'Michael', thus the film should focus on Michael.

'He's a superhero on the stage. Just like a human being, movies have the power of empathy to just say this is a human being. No one is perfect', Fuqua told The Deadline.

'It was important to take the audience through a process of how do you get to wherever it's going to go in a second movie; for people to get a bigger idea of his personality and what shaped him', he added.

The Deadline said the reshoots had cost the production another $50 million (£42,621,100), bringing the film's net production cost to $200 million (£170,484,400).

Fuqua, Casts Open for A Possible Sequel as Fans Speculate On Its Future

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer, the distributor of the film, earlier said that they are considering splitting the biopic into two parts.

While there was no definite confirmation about the sequel, Lionsgate film chair Adam Fogelson said during the movie's premiere, 'We absolutely have more story to tell', adding that they are prepared to give the audience what they want.

Fuqua also answered in the affirmative when asked if he wanted to direct a possible sequel for the movie.

As for Jaafar, he said that playing the role of his uncle in his own biopic was an 'honor of a lifetime', and he 'absolutely' has more to give.