Michael Jackson’s Estate Spent Millions To Sanitize His New Biopic. Crowds Don’t Seem To Care.

The new Michael Jackson biopic, "Michael," directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jafar Jackson, premiered to thousands of fans and positive reception, despite millions spent by Jackson's estate to sanitize the film. This included omitting sexual abuse accusations. Producer Graham King noted difficulties akin to "Bohemian Rhapsody." With an initial $150 million budget, the film's production was complicated by a 1994 settlement clause preventing dramatization of a child molestation accuser's story. This rendered footage useless, leading to the film ending in the late 1980s and an additional $25-50 million in production costs. "Michael" needs over $500 million globally to profit, a mark only achieved by "Bohemian Rhapsody" in its genre. Lionsgate hopes for over $700 million for a sequel. The Jackson estate, a co-investor, could face losses if it doesn't break even but stands to gain significantly if it becomes a blockbuster. The film's opening weekend grossed $97 million domestically and $217 million globally, breaking biopic opening records.