Making a fictional biopic about an absolute music star like Michael Jackson is a big challenge in itself. Especially if the life of the “King of Pop” carries brilliance and an abundance of shadows. However, the above does not seem to intimidate producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), who have taken on the project “Michael”. The film, set to begin filming in 2023, aims to “reboot” the Michael Jackson legend, satisfy fans as well as introduce him to a younger generation.

After all, King did just that a few years ago with Bohemian Rhapsody, which made a splash at the box office, gave star Rami Malek an Oscar, and brought Queen’s music back to the fore. The Jackson case is, of course, a little more… complex than the Freddie Mercury case. “For me, there is no artist with the drive, charisma and pure musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was inspired to create music videos by watching his work – he was the first black artist to play permanently on MTV. His music and these images are part of my worldview and the opportunity to tell my story on screen along with the music was irresistible,” said Antoine Fuqua.

The African-American director did not mention anything about the dark side of Jackson, documented cases of pedophilia and so on. The rest of the actors took a similar position, raising questions about the intentions of the project, which, as noted, enjoys the support of the artist’s family, on the other hand, the first reports from the environment of the Lionsgate production studio assure that it will not be some kind of “washing” of Jackson, but rather, his emergence as a tragic artistic figure with its own merits and demerits.