Paris Jackson accuses her father’s estate administrators of mismanagement and has doubts about the biopic “Michael”. The lawsuit, the dispute and all the background information.
The dispute between Paris Jackson and the executors of her late father Michael Jackson’s estate continues to escalate. The focus is on a long-simmering legal dispute and the production of the upcoming biopic “Michael”.
The allegations
Paris Jackson again criticized the decisions of the estate administrators John Branca and John McClain on Instagram. She emphasized that she was not involved in the film production and fundamentally questioned the planning and implementation of the project. In particular, she would fear what she sees as overpriced and possibly unsuccessful production.
This criticism is part of a broader conflict. Paris Jackson has been accusing the estate administrators of mismanagement, a lack of transparency and questionable investment decisions for some time. Although a court dismissed parts of her lawsuit at the end of 2025, the pop star’s daughter has announced that she will continue the proceedings. At its core, it’s about the administration and strategic direction of the billion-dollar estate.
In connection with the biopic, Jackson also expressed doubts about John Branca’s filmmaking expertise. She publicly questioned whether he had sufficient experience in film production. She also accuses Branca of exploiting his role as executive producer to cast Miles Teller, the only prominent actor, to portray himself.
Jackson has expressed concerns about the film’s veracity in the past. In a series of Instagram posts in September 2025, she complained that the script contained “many inaccuracies” and “outright lies.”
Lawyer rejects allegations
The other side reacted promptly. A lawyer for the estate administrators firmly rejected the allegations to “TMZ” and described them as unfounded. Jackson and her team would play “media games” by spreading sensational but, in their opinion, false accusations. It is irresponsible to publicly question the realization of a film about the life of Michael Jackson. According to the lawyer, the criticism of Branca’s experience is “nonsense” since the estate administrators have already successfully implemented projects related to the artist on several occasions.
The legal representation also pointed out that Paris Jackson had benefited significantly financially from Branca and McClain’s work. Accordingly, she has already received benefits worth around $65 million and is expected to inherit additional sums in the millions in the future. According to the lawyer, the estate administrators have developed the musician’s estate into a company that now generates billions in sales.
“Michael” – the biopic
Despite the controversy, production on the biopic “Michael” continues to move forward. The film aims to trace the artist’s career from his early beginnings to his worldwide breakthrough. His nephew Jaafar Jackson plays the main role, while Nia Long, Colman Domingo and Laura Harrier play other central characters. You can see the trailer here:
The cinema release in Germany is currently scheduled for April 23rd. Whether the ongoing tensions will have an impact on the perception of the film remains to be seen.
