Michael Jackson movie biopic Part 2 ‘may deal with abuse allegations’ | Films | Entertainment

Michael, the official Michael Jackson biopic, hits cinemas today and has been slammed by many critics (there are several 1-star reviews) for whitewashing the late King of Pop’s legacy and not addressing the multiple child abuse allegations he faced in life.

Yet the film also concludes in 1988 at the height of his fame, with the on-screen promise that his “story continues” following months of rumours that there’s at least one sequel, maybe even a trilogy of movies.

Appearing on NBC’s Today, Joseph Jackson star Colman Domingo was asked what he would say to folks who say they whitewashed the allegations of sexual abuse against the late star in the upcoming Michael film.

The Oscar-nominee replied: “The film takes place from the ‘60s to 1988, so it does not go into the first allegations, in what, 2005?’” Domingo misdates here.

It was actually 1993 first, where there was a multi-million out of court settlement, followed by another accusation in 2003 that led to a 2005 trial that included a third testimony, but the star was acquitted of all charges. This was followed posthumously in 2019 by two more independent accusations in the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. All five who accused Jackson of sexual abuse shared beds with him when they were children.

Domingo continued: “So basically we centre [the new film] on the makings of Michael. It’s an intimate portrait of who Michael is through his eyes. There’s a possibility of there being a Part 2 that may deal with some other times that happened afterwards. But this [film] is about the making of Michael, how he was raised and then how he tried to find his voice as an artist and be a solo artist.”

The host asked, “Sounds like there will be a sequel?”, to which Domingo replied, “There could be a sequel. We don’t know yet.”

Michael is expected to have a record-breaking opening of $70 million domestically, topping Bohemian Rhapsody and Straight Outta Compton, suggesting Lionsgate could be looking at a $1 billion blockbuster.

Considering this, it seems incredibly likely that a sequel will be green-lit as an obvious cash-in for the estate. Michael 2 is rumoured to address the allegations and also cover his final two studio albums Dangerous (1991) and Invincible (2001).

Michael is out now in cinemas.