Michael Jackson Biopic Slams the Brakes in the ’80s—Here’s Why

Well, here we are—yet another Michael Jackson biopic, and, honestly, nobody should be surprised it's already sparked as much debate as the man himself ever did. Critics have weighed in with a collective shrug (that's a 38% splat on Rotten Tomatoes), but actual fans seem to be more generous. IMDb has it sitting at a respectable 7.6 for now, and those in the know say it could grab a cool $70 million during its U.S. box office opening. Basically, you're either moonwalking straight to the theater, or you're rolling your eyes from a safe distance.

Where Does 'Michael' Actually End? Uh...1988.

Here's the first odd move—the entire movie runs 127 minutes, and it stops cold at 1988, smack in the middle of Jackson’s original Bad tour. If you're expecting to see any of the weirder, more scandal-laden twists from the 1990s and 2000s, you're out of luck. The film wraps up with a Wembley Stadium performance: Jackson at his pop star peak, all sequins and high notes, mere steps away from the decades of controversy that would later define his public life.

Now, if you've been keeping track, this means the film skips the child molestation allegations, the bonkers Super Bowl halftime show, the infamous Munich concert—the whole rollercoaster. And yep, plenty of people are frustrated about it. Some critics are even taking it as an outright dodge, especially since the movie was supposed to cover his whole career.

Why Stop There? Short Answer: Lawyers.

So what actually happened behind the scenes? Turns out, the plan was to dig a little deeper. According to Rolling Stone, the first version literally opened in the middle of the mess: Jackson, staring at himself in the mirror in 1993 while cop car lights flash outside Neverland Ranch. Investigators show up, the real world breaks through the dream, and suddenly you're not just in a glossy pop star tribute.

Legal reality, however, had other ideas. The Jackson estate, which just so happens to be a credited producer, found a clause from an old settlement that banned any movie from mentioning Jordan Chandler—the central figure in those first allegations. Lawyers swooped in, scripts got chopped, and the filmmakers shot a completely new third act focused on earlier, less controversial years. (Fun fact: they had to reshoot for 22 days without getting the usual state tax benefits, racking up an extra $10-15 million, which the estate swallowed because, well, they missed the clause in the first place.)

The end result? A movie that just… doesn't attempt to grapple with Jackson's second act. It skirts the toughest topics, which is why, for a lot of people, it doesn't feel like a "definitive" portrait at all.

Key Moments the Movie Actually Shows

• Michael vs. Joe Jackson: The movie dials up the tension between Michael (as his solo career explodes) and his father, Joe (played by Colman Domingo), who’s desperate to keep the Jackson 5 relevant and profitable.
• Pyrotechnic Disaster: Viewers get the infamous 1984 Pepsi ad incident, where Michael suffered severe scalp burns—this is pretty key, as it leads to his painkiller abuse.
• Enter John Branca: The beginnings of Michael’s legal battles, with Branca joining as his lawyer.

These are juicy, dramatic beats, and you can tell Antoine Fuqua (the director) at least tried to get into Jackson's personal hells—up to a point.

Could They Actually Make a Sequel?

What's wild: there's now talk of Michael 2. Originally, there weren't any plans for a sequel (biopics usually aren't franchises, let's be honest), but the legal stuff and PR dance forced the filmmakers to slap a giant "His story continues" at the end. As Lionsgate's Adam Fogelson put it (on the red carpet, no less):

'We absolutely have more story to tell. We have prepared for that moment. And if the audience reinforces that they’re ready for more, we're prepared to give it to them sooner rather than later.'

Of course, the legal handcuffs are still in place: there’s still a full blackout on naming certain accusers, and much of that era goes off-limits. But there’s plenty of other material left—like Jackson’s second round of accusations involving Gavin Arvizo in the early 2000s, which led to the 2005 trial (where Jackson was acquitted, in case you’ve forgotten the circus).

If there is a sequel, it would have to tiptoe around specific details in the nineties, then get bolder after 2000. And, even ignoring the allegations, there’s genuinely a ton of big, weirdly interesting material left: Jackson’s drifting years after Neverland (including a Bahrain sojourn, stints in Ireland and Vegas), a mountain of lawsuits, and the epic but ill-fated London comeback concert.

In other words: even with legal muzzles, there’s enough content for another movie—assuming this one actually rakes in the money.