Antoine Fuqua doubts the allegations against Michael Jackson – and had to delete a raid scene for “Michael”. The reshoots cost $15 million.
“Michael,” the biopic about the life and work of Michael Jackson, has been running in German cinemas since April 22, 2026. The film has been discussed since its announcement. The focus of this discussion is and has often been the allegations that have made headlines against the musician since 1993. It was about child abuse – and so people often asked whether the allegations would be dealt with in the film. Since the film was released, it has been clear that this is not the case. The director Antoine Fuqua also commented on this.
Antoine Fuqua is skeptical about the allegations
The New Yorker recently published a profile that illuminated the filmmaker’s entire career. In it, Antoine Fuqua also spoke about the allegations that the “King of Pop” has faced throughout his career. The director expressed doubts about this, but at the same time emphasized that he did not know the truth.
He said he was not convinced “that Jackson did what he is accused of, despite the number of accusers (five) and the fact that Jackson spoke publicly about sharing his bed with boys.” The producer continued: “When I hear things about us – especially black people, especially in a certain position – it makes me suspicious.”
Film had to be changed
As is well known, the family of the deceased had a great influence on the production of the biopic. Prince Jackson acts as executive producer, and Jaafar Jackson took over the lead role and took on the role of the singer. The estate also has a financial stake. The work on the project was under the watchful eyes of the family right from the start. They also obtained from the court that all allegations could not be depicted in the film.
When the “Training Day” creator found out about this, he had to make massive changes to the production. The original opening sequence showed a raid in which police stormed the “Thriller” interpreter’s Neverland Ranch. The 60-year-old reported: “I filmed how he was stripped naked and treated like an animal, like a monster.” The scene subsequently had to be cut.
This also entailed extensive reshoots costing around $15 million. The reproach-free version of “Michael” can be seen in cinemas from April 22, 2026.
