Here's What We Know About the Upcoming Michael Jackson Biopic So Far

We're arguably living in the golden age of biopics. Suffice to say, they're doing pretty well in the box office, too. Some of the recent films that first come to mind include Bohemian Rhapsody, for Freddie Mercury, Elvis, for, well, Elvis (Austin Butler's portrayal of Elvis Presley last year will likely get him an Oscar nom in a few days, too), and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, for Whitney Houston. And now, it's just been confirmed that Michael Jackson is finally getting one and production starts this year.

With the working title Michael, the film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua. If that name's familiar, it's because it is. Some of his best-known films include Training Day, The Equalizer, and recently, Emancipation. Oh, and three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (the same man who wrote Gladiator, by the way) did the screenplay. A couple of heavy-hitters for Jackson's complicated legacy.

The movie will be made with the approval of the estate, specifically, with co-executors John Branca and John McClain. Graham King, who had brought Bohemian Rhapsody to life, will also be producing the film.

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“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am,” Fuqua expressed in a statement. “For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work – the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”

The Michael Jackson biopic also begs the question: will it address all the controversies that surrounded the late star? We may recall HBO's two-part docuseries on Jackson's Neverland ranch. Leaving Neverland contained some harrowing allegations, some of which have followed Jackson all throughout the second half of his life. His estate at the time labeled it as “tabloid character assassination."

If we look at a film like Elvis, we might observe some glairing discrepancies, including the singer's fascination with underage girls. Lionsgate looks to do a deep dive “all aspects of Jackson’s life,” according to reports. So we should expect the biopic to deal with some of the darker parts of Jackson's fame.

There's definitely clamor for the biopic and Jackson's legacy is still in tact, despite the allegations. The MJ Broadway musical had made more than $83 million, after all. Michael's release date is yet to be announced. Meanwhile, some of the other notable biopics that are set to come out later this year are the ones for Amy Winehouse and Leonard Bernstein.