The release of the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, has been delayed by six months following legal complications surrounding the portrayal of Jordan Chandler, the man who accused the King of Pop of sexual abuse in 1993.
Originally set to hit theaters on April 18, 2025, Lionsgate announced that the film will now premiere on October 3, 2025.
The delay stems from issues related to the depiction of the Chandler case in the biopic’s storyline. In 1993, Chandler’s father, Evan Chandler, accused Jackson of molesting his 13-year-old son.
Although Jackson was never criminally charged and reached a $23 million settlement, the case remains a sensitive topic. Reports indicate that the film’s script, which was near completion before the legal challenges arose, centers heavily on the impact of the Chandler allegations.
The biopic’s producers were unaware of a key stipulation in the settlement agreement between Jackson’s family and the Chandlers, which prohibits dramatizing the incident or the Chandler family.
This restriction wasn’t revealed to the film’s director, Antoine Fuqua, and the producers until last fall, well after filming had wrapped on the $150 million project. As a result, significant portions of the script, particularly those depicting the legal drama surrounding the allegations, are now considered problematic.
What scenes are in question?
One of the scenes under scrutiny involves Jackson’s lawyers, including Johnnie Cochran, discussing whether to pay off Chandler’s family. Another sequence portrays a traumatic police investigation, including a strip search of Jackson that deeply impacted him. These scenes are now in jeopardy due to the legal limitations imposed by the settlement.
Lionsgate is facing a race against time to reshoot these scenes. The film may be at risk of not meeting its October release date unless Universal, the studio’s partner, agrees to expensive reshoots. Sources close to the film remain hopeful, however, that the issues will be resolved in time for the revised premiere.
A source connected to the project confirmed that reshoots are planned for March, although it remains unclear whether the Chandler-related scenes will be removed entirely.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the biopic aims to cover all aspects of Michael Jackson’s extraordinary life, including his groundbreaking music career and personal struggles. Lionsgate is betting on the film’s success, with President Jim Packer calling it potentially the studio’s most significant release to date.
The buzz surrounding the movie has been immense, especially after early footage shown at CinemaCon garnered strong reactions from audiences.