The production of the new Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael,” hit a massive financial and legal snag that resulted in a $25 million windfall for its top creators.
Director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King saw their original paydays skyrocket after the pop star’s estate had to overhaul the movie’s finale. Fuqua, who was initially signed for $10 million, walked away with an additional $15 million, while King’s original $6 million deal was padded with an extra $10 million.
This emergency spending was triggered by a deep dive into Michael Jackson’s legal history. The film originally featured the 1993 sexual abuse allegations, but attorneys for the estate eventually realized that a 1994 settlement with accuser Jordan Chandler contained a strict clause. This legal barrier prevented Chandler’s likeness or story from being utilized for commercial gain. Because the discovery happened after the scenes were already in the can, the estate had to fund weeks of reshoots to remove the material entirely.
Bloomberg reported that the representatives for Fuqua and King successfully negotiated the massive bonuses because the creative direction of the film was forced to change so late in the game. They argued that these edits could result in “box-office grosses potentially hindered” by the narrowed scope of the story. Consequently, the theatrical release now wraps up with the 1988 “Bad” tour, stopping five years short of when the first public allegations surfaced.
While the film has faced a divide between professional critics and the public, earning a 37% and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, it is currently performing well at the box office. Lionsgate has not ruled out the possibility of a second film to tackle the later years of Jackson’s life, provided the current flick maintains its momentum.
For now, the “Michael” story remains a sanitized version of the King of Pop’s journey, but one that cost the estate a heavy premium to keep that way.
