Originally set for release for April 2025 behind the scenes there has been a protracted production release due to the third act being almost completely reshot. Now much of the criticism against the film has been about the alleged whitewashing of the child abuse accusations made against the star. However in the original cut this was covered with director Antione Fuqua shooting a scene when Neverland Ranch was raided by police and the film addressing the allegations head one with the director saying, “I shot him being stripped naked, treated like an animal, a monster’.

But what threw a spanner in the works was that a past accuser had reached a settlement with the Jackson estate guaranteeing he would never be depicted in any future commercial projects. Hence the third act being reshot over 22 days that saw Jackson’s estate paying for it and along with producer Graham King the estate wanted to end the film on a more update beat. Michael 2 issues… It purportedly caused Fuqua a certain degree of issues in regard to what he had intended the film to be although he has reconciled with what had to be done.

Which prompts the question Will there be a Michael 2? From the start the production was never intended as a two-parter but because of what was originally shot and not used the film makers have at least a third of any sequel already. Predications for the already released film sees it as making a possible $70m over the first few days of release but a sequel would incur big costs for the actors to negotiate bigger fees for their return along with scheduling issues.

There’s also the fact that his best and most popular music has been sued for the first film and also that any sequel would be understandably more downbeat if it dealt with the controversies as well as his tragic death in 2009. But ultimately its likely to be the box office takings that will steer any sequel. related feature : ‘Michael’ reviewed here related feature : Jamie Foxx & Michael B Jordan at the ‘Just Mercy’ premiere in London source: THR