Recommendations of the Editorial team
The “King of Pop” is now dead for almost 16 years, and his legacy is still fighting with hard bandages. The documentary “Leaving Neverland” from 2019, which won the American TV Prize “Emmy” in the “Non Fiction” segment, is about the accusation of sexual abuse on two (now adult) sacrifice: Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
A third and last part of the unveiling saga of director Dan Reed is now announced in the “Variety” industry sheet. A “dramatic end” is planned. “Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson”, in turn, will be broadcast for the first time in the UK on March 18 and on YouTube in the United States. A German appointment is not yet named. Episode one went up at the time at Pro 7.
At the center of the multi-divider is the fate of Robson and Safechuck, which accuses Jackson to misuse them as children on his fantasy ranch “Neverland”. After an endless end and in the US legal system, an appellate court in California had decided against the resistance of the Jackson-Erlers in 2023 that the common fall of the two plaintiffs had to go to the judge. A main hearing is currently planned for the coming year.
“Maybe justice will win”
“It took terribly long to get to this process date, which should now actually take place,” Dan Reed told “Variety”. The director plans to film in the courtroom, although he continues to believe that the Jackson estate “will try to avoid the whole thing. One wants to make sure that this case never comes to court … but who knows? Perhaps justice will win and there will be a process, as announced. And if there is a process, I want to be there. “
Reed is aware that the judge could not allow cameras in the courtroom. “That is at his discretion”. For “Leaving Neverland 2” in the courthouse of Santa Monica, Reed was able to film with several hearings, which mainly focus on the fight whether Robson and Safechuck is granted.
Jackson was acquitted in a criminal trial in 2005
“Part two is a bridge film between a sensational beginning and hopefully very dramatic end,” said Reed. “We could have combined this material with the main hearing. But I think the process will be so dramatic that you will then have no attention in between. ”
Jackson’s estate has repeatedly rejected a number of allegations of sexual abuse and pointed out that Jackson was acquitted in a criminal trial in 2005 and was never sentenced or liable for such allegations. It is also claimed that the applicants would only be concerned with high compensation from an artist who can no longer defend himself.