Michael Jackson Estate Spent Up to $15 Million Removing Child Abuse Allegation Scenes

In 2025, Puck reported that Michael Jackson’s upcoming biopic had undergone a massive rewrite. The film, Michael, originally concluded with the singer’s 1993 scandal, when a family accused Jackson of sexually abusing their 13-year-old son. That ending was cut when lawyers for the Jackson Estate found a clause in a settlement with the accuser, which prohibits the dramatization of him in a movie.

As a result, the filmmakers were forced to overhaul the entire third act of the movie. According to a new Variety report, in June 2025, the cast spent 22 days shooting a new storyline, which cost the production somewhere between $10 to $15 million. The estate covered the costs since the additional shooting was caused by their oversight, and the film’s release was later moved from its initial date of April 18, 2025 to April 24, 2026.

Michael’s finale will now center on the height of Jackson’s career, capturing the singer as he readies himself for the stage during his Bad tour. Launched in support of his 1987 album of the same name, this was Jackson’s first solo trek, and became one of the highest-grossing and most-attended tours of the 20th century. Instead of the child abuse allegations, the film’s main friction will be the pop star’s relationship with his father, Joe Jackson, who will be portrayed by Colman Domingo. Michael Jackson will be played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson.

Pitchfork has reached out to Michael Jackson’s estate for comment.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741