There was obviously going to be backlash against Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. I would think the makers behind this upcoming film very well knew this in advance.
The Jackson family estate have given their blessings for this biopic, which probably means a lot of the controversies surrounding Jackson will be watered down. I mean, what else would you expect?
An original statement from Fuqua had mentioned that the film would be “dealing squarely” with the late singer’s tumultuous life. What does that even mean? This morning, Fuqua was a guest on GMA, and he was asked about tackling the late Jackson’s life on-screen:
He was a great artist. He was Human. We're gonna show the good, bad and the ugly...We just gonna tell the FACTS
Does anybody believe him? The only way this film works is if the Jackson estate gets riled up by it and, subsequently, disowns it. There’s no other way to properly depict Jackson (whether he was guilty or not). You want to see the flawed icon on-screen, no watered down version.
Hiring Jackson’s nephew Jafaar Jackson to play the “King of Pop” was peculiar casting. He needs to be ready for a heavy dose of makeup because Jackson’s look kept “evolving” in the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s. I’m honestly, guiltily, looking forward to this one.
The project also comes nearly four years after Dan Reed’s HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland” layed out new claims against the late singer.
In an op-ed for The Guardian, Reed aggressively came out against the upcoming MJ biopic getting made, reiterating his criticisms of Jackson and why he still believed the singer was guilty, despite being acquitted in court. “Jackson’s seduction is still a living force, operating from beyond the grave,” Reed states in the write-up.
Fuqua and Logan will no doubt be scurrying through landmines depicting the latter half of Jackson’s life. The Jackson family giving firm approval for this film to happen means that this will could very well be a biased depiction of the late singer’s controversies.
The screenplay will be penned by John Logan, which has been a decade-long passion project for him. Logan had previously penned Scott’s “Gladiator,” Scorsese’s “The Aviator” Burton’s “Sweeney Todd,” and Mendes’ “Skyfall”, so the film is in good hands.
Fuqua is about to have his “Equalizer 3” released in theaters, next week. His past credits include “Training Day,” “Southpaw” and “Emancipation.” This MJ biopic was supposed to shoot this fall, but it’s been delayed due to the actors strike.