As the long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael,” prepares to make its debut, there’s a lot of chatter in anticipation of what fans might see. Thankfully, due to the influencers and early critics who’ve already seen the film, and from what we’ve been able to gather, we have some good intel on what you might not see portrayed on screen.
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We promise we won’t spoil anything or get too into the weeds, but in order to set what we feel are proper expectations for the film, here’s what we’ve been able to gather.
Janet Jackson
As we previously told you, Michael’s sister, Janet, with whom he shared a close bond, is not in the film. A rep for the studios involved with the film explained that she opted out of participating and that the decision was solely hers. But we do know that Michael had two other sisters, Rebbie and LaToya, so there’s a strong possibility that at least one of the three will make an appearance.
Michael’s 2005 Criminal Trial
As evidenced by the trailer, interviews with director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King, this movie centers on the beginning of Michael’s career, starting from his early days in the Jackson 5 until his eventual solo stardom. While you can expect to see snippets of Michael singing with his brothers, striking out on his own with “Off the Wall,” breaking barriers with “Thriller” and Quincy Jones, and a glimpse into his “Bad”-era—the controversy, a.k.a. his mid-2000s sexual abuse scandal that threatened to tarnish his legacy—won’t be included, as it happened decades later.
So if you were curious to see how a movie would portray this dark chapter of his life, you’ll have to wait until the eventual sequel film (of which star Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew and son of his brother Jermaine, recently said is in “early development.”)
The Neverland Ranch
As multiple folks on social media have pointed out and as inferred from the trailer, “Michael” looks at the artist’s life until the late 1980s, some time after he dropped his “Bad” album. While we do see some recreated footage of him famously performing the song at Wembley Stadium, which took place in 1988, the same year he purchased his famous Neverland Ranch in California, it doesn’t appear that the movie will show that famous dwelling. So once again, we’ll have to wait until part two to potentially get a glimpse.
Michael’s Childhood Abuse
Because this film is being positioned as a “family-oriented” film (and that’s coming from Marlon Jackson himself), you can rest assured that the movie won’t get too deep in showcasing the moments where Michael suffered alleged abuse at the hands of his father, Joseph. Granted, we’ve all read about it and heard about it from Michael’s memoir and various interviews. But for the sake of this movie being made for the masses, there’s a high probability that this won’t be a primary focus.
Every Major Moment in Michael’s Life
Look, we get it. Michael’s fandom is wide and deep. People have a strong emotional attachment to his music, his story, his family, etc. Fans also have had decades to get into the nitty-gritty of his lore, his relationships (familial, romantic and otherwise), and immerse themselves in anything and everything involving Michael. But considering how he became a child star and lived on this Earth until he was 50 while giving the world so much, it is quite literally impossible to include every moment fans think should be included in this movie.
Yes, there will be the things that we love (music videos, fashion, family). But it should go without saying that there will naturally be things that are excluded for a variety of reasons (timing constraints, legal constraints, relevance, etc.). This is a biopic, true enough, but like the cast and others have been saying, this is only the beginning. People should taper their expectations so they can enjoy the film for what it is and the magic that it has to share with the world.
Serious Depth
To put it plainly, if you’re an MJ fan, then you’ll be pleased with what’s shown onscreen. You’ll see many familiar things you’ve read about, watched, and researched over the years. It’ll feel like your favorite comfort film you’ve seen time and time again and still enjoy.
That said, if you’re going into it looking for some serious depth or for the film to dive deep into certain aspects of his life, you’re going to be disappointed. The film leans a lot more towards hints and subtleties, which might upset viewers hoping to gain more insight into Michael’s life or learn something new.
“Michael” is set to premiere on April 24.
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