‘Michael’ Sequel Faces a Legal Standstill Over the 1993 Jordan Chandler Settlement
*The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” opened in theaters Friday and sequel talk is already swirling — but the road to a follow-up film is anything but clear. Despite a record-breaking global opening of $217.4 million, the production team is now contending with the same legal minefield that derailed the first film long before its release […] The post ‘Michael’ Sequel Faces a Legal Standstill Over the 1993 Jordan Chandler Settlement appeared first on EURweb | Black News, Culture, Entertainment & More.
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*The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” opened in theaters Friday and sequel talk is already swirling — but the road to a follow-up film is anything but clear. Despite a record-breaking global opening of $217.4 million, the production team is now contending with the same legal minefield that derailed the first film long before its release date, Times of India reports.
At the center of the problem is the 1993 settlement between Jackson’s estate and Jordan Chandler, who alleged that Jackson sexually abused him at age 13. The out-of-court agreement, which resulted in a reported $25 million payout, included a clause barring the Chandlers from being depicted in any film about Jackson’s life. That restriction went undetected during the script approval process, and when it finally came to light, the filmmakers had no choice but to rebuild significant portions of the movie from scratch.
The fallout was expensive. An additional 22 days of shooting were required, adding $15 million to a production that had already carried a $155 million price tag. A venue change from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles made things worse financially, stripping the project of eligibility for state tax rebates. Because the estate’s own oversight had created the situation, it absorbed the extra costs and walked away with an equity stake in the finished film.
Producer Graham King described the discovery as a shock. “We had a legal issue we found out after we finished shooting the film, that the estate didn’t realize at the time,” he told The Today Show Australia. “So it was a little bit of a shock.”
The completed film — which stars Jaafar Jackson and traces his uncle’s life from 1966 to 1988 — pivoted away from the allegations entirely, landing instead on an uplifting finale set during the “Bad” tour. The closing message, “His story will continue,” signals that a second chapter is very much on the table.
While early reports indicate sequel production has already begun, those close to the situation suggest the legal complexities surrounding Jackson’s later years could push any release far down the road. Both director Antoine Fuqua and actor Colman Domingo have left the door open for a part two. “There’s a possibility of there being a part two, that may deal with some other things that happen afterwards,” Domingo told TODAY.
Lionsgate says it is assessing how to carry the story forward in the coming weeks without repeating the same costly mistakes.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Legal Troubles Forced a Major Overhaul of the Michael Jackson Biopic
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The post ‘Michael’ Sequel Faces a Legal Standstill Over the 1993 Jordan Chandler Settlement appeared first on EURweb | Black News, Culture, Entertainment & More.
