Thousands of Michael Jackson fans gathered in Berlin on Friday evening, April 10, for the international premiere of the biopic “Michael”, an event attended by the artist’s family. The title role is played by his grandson, Jaafar Jackson, in a production that has already attracted global attention.
Thousands of fans, many dressed in leather jackets or wearing aviator sunglasses inspired by the artist’s iconic outfits, filled the area around the premiere. The event took place on Friday night and marked the international release of the biopic ‘Michael’.
The artist’s grandson Jaafar Jackson, who was just 12 when his uncle died in 2009, said he prepared extensively for the role, studying archival material and also drawing on his own memories.
“One of my favorite memories is when I first saw him on stage performing in New York, which was the most beautiful experience for me”he told Reuters on the red carpet.
Video source: X/ @DiscussingFilm
The artist’s brother, Jackie Jackson, who sang with the young Michael in the Jackson 5, was impressed by Jaafar’s performance. He said that at times he almost forgot that he was seeing his grandson, not Michael himself.
“He became Michael in the movie,” he said.
The film and the course of the “king of pop”
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the feature film follows Michael Jackson’s rise from the lead singer of the Motown Jackson 5, formed with his brothers, to a solo career that produced legendary hits like “Thriller” and “Beat It.”
The production also emphasizes the spectacular outfits that have become part of the unmistakable image of the artist.
The biopic “Straight Outta Compton” currently holds the record for the highest-grossing musical biopic debut with $60.2 million in the US and Canada.
According to Box Office Pro, the new movie “Michael,” which hits theaters on April 24, could break that mark and even top $80 million.
Controversies surrounding the production
However, the production was marked by controversy. Any reference to the allegations of child sexual abuse was removed from the script after the heirs’ lawyers found that a legal settlement with one of the plaintiffs prohibited mention of those matters, according to a source close to the production.
Michael Jackson has always maintained his innocence and was acquitted in 2005 in a criminal trial.
After his death, there were other civil lawsuits filed by plaintiffs, but the artist was never convicted of child sexual abuse or found guilty in a civil trial.
Asked about the decision to leave out these controversial aspects, producer Graham King, known for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, said in Berlin that he “spent many years researching everything, every part of Michael’s life” and that he wanted to make this “homage story”.
