EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson will be portrayed by Jaafar Jackson, the late icon’s 26-year-old nephew, in the biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua for Lionsgate. Fuqua just posted a confirmation on Instagram. The singer and songwriter is the son of Jermaine Jackson, who is Michael’s brother and a member of The Jackson 5. Jaafar has been singing and dancing since he was 12 and appeared singing Sam Cooke tunes at Marvin Gaye, as well as originals. .
As Deadline revealed last week, the Emancipation helmer signed for the next live Michael, which has a script by John Logan. The film is produced by Graham King, who turned the story of Freddie Mercury Queen into a blockbuster Bohemian Rhapsody. GK Films will produce alongside Jackson Estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain.
As you can see in the video below, the young man has the voice and moves to do his uncle right. As an actor, he may well learn more about his world-famous uncle than he wants, as we’ve heard the film won’t shy away from the controversies of Jackson’s life, child molestation accusations that have haunted his last years until his death in 2009 at the age of 50, from cardiac arrest caused by a cocktail of sedatives.
The presence of the MJ estate grants rights to Jackson’s musical catalog but has led some to wonder how protective they will be, but clearly things will have to be explored for the film to have dramatic edge and enough truth to withstand scrutiny without being extinguished. fans of Jackson’s songs and musical legacy. King and Oscar nominee Gladiator screenwriter Logan has already threaded the needle perfectly with director Martin Scorsese on the aviator, with Leonardo Di Caprio playing Howard Hughes as he tried to pursue his innovations before mental illness turned him into a germophobic recluse. King and screenwriter Anthony McCarten captured the complexities of Freddie Mercury’s life before his death from AIDS. Michael will also be driven by Jackson’s musical accomplishments, giving the film similar worldwide potential to Bohemian Rhapsody, which grossed over $900 million worldwide, swelled Queen’s song catalog, earned a Best Picture Oscar nomination and a win for star Rami Malek.
Jackson’s troubles date back to the intimidating influence of his father Joe, who brought the youngsters and his brothers from Gary, Indiana, to stardom, but apparently also costly for Jackson, who didn’t really have a hard time. ‘childhood. As an adult, he became an even bigger star, but what was initially seen as a Peter Pan-like life took on more sinister overtones when lawsuits began to arise and multimillion-dollar settlements have been paid.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: La Toya Jackson (L) and Jaafar Jackson arrive for Face Forward International’s 10th Annual ‘Highlands To The Hills’ Gala on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images)
Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images
Fuqua is currently finishing Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington in Italy, and then he’ll turn his attention to this one. Production will begin later this year, and we’ve heard that Fuqua will write his Emancipation and Equalizer 3 cinematographer Robert Richardson to be by his side.
Lionsgate has global rights here, but will seek an offshore partner, and we’ve heard Sony is squarely in on it. This studio became a successful 2009 docu That’s itconsisting of footage of Jackson rehearsing for a series of concerts in London upon his death.