Michael Biopic Revised Over 1994 Settlement, Delayed to 2026

The biopic "Michael," chronicling the life of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, underwent significant revisions after producers discovered a legal restriction that prohibited depicting one of his accusers, leading to costly reshoots and a delayed release to April 24, 2026.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Lionsgate and Universal Pictures in partnership with the Jackson Estate, the film stars Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role and Colman Domingo as his father, Joe Jackson. Originally budgeted at around $155 million, the project faced upheaval in mid-2025 when attorneys for the Jackson Estate identified an overlooked clause in a 1994 civil settlement with Jordan Chandler, the 13-year-old who accused Jackson of sexual abuse in 1993. The agreement, which resolved the claims without criminal charges and reportedly for $25 million, barred any mention or portrayal of Chandler in films or media.

Sources close to the production indicate that the initial script, written by John Logan, devoted the third act to the 1993 allegations, including a scene at Neverland Ranch where investigators searched for evidence amid flashing police lights. These sequences, already...