Jaafar Jackson, who portrayed his late uncle Michael Jackson in the biopic Michael, has hinted that the planned sequel could delve deeper into the King of Pop’s later years, including the child sexual abuse allegations that surrounded him.
Speaking to GQ Middle East, the 30-year-old actor said he hopes the follow-up will give audiences a better understanding of Michael’s perspective, particularly during the period when the singer faced intense public scrutiny and allegations of child sexual abuse.
Michael Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50, faced allegations of sexual abuse involving children beginning in the 1990s. He denied wrongdoing, and the allegations became one of the most controversial aspects of his life and legacy.
The first Michael biopic ends in 1988, before the allegations emerged publicly. Director Antoine Fuqua previously confirmed that the film had originally included scenes addressing allegations against the singer, but those events were ultimately not covered in the released film.
Jaafar said the sequel could provide more insight into Michael’s point of view, arguing that much of the discussion surrounding the allegations has been shaped by accounts and interpretations from others.
He also said his family has long felt that Michael’s own voice had not been sufficiently heard when his later years and the controversies surrounding him were discussed.
Jaafar, the son of Michael’s brother Jermaine Jackson, hopes the second film will show the person behind the headlines and explore how Michael dealt with the difficulties he faced while maintaining what Jaafar described as his kindness and desire to see the good in others.
The first film focused on Michael’s childhood, his rise to fame with the Jackson 5 and his development into a solo superstar, ending around the period of his Bad era in the late 1980s.
A sequel is currently in development, with Lionsgate head Adam Fogelson saying the studio is targeting production towards the end of this year or early next year.
The original Michael, released in April, went on to surpass US$1 billion at the global box office in July, making it the highest-grossing biopic of all time.
