As The Michael Jackson Biopic Faces Rumored Delays, It May Take A Page From Wicked's Playbook As A Fix
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
As it currently stands, director Antoine Fuqua's blockbuster biopic Michael is set to debut on the 2025 movie schedule, in an October 3rd release date. Save for one prior delay that pushed the film from its originally intended April 18th bow, we seemed to know what to expect from the Jaafar Jackson-starring musical.
But when rumored legal issues involving Michael's third-act were invoked, that debut was called into question. While the latest rumor doesn't confirm or deny a new move, Michael Jackson's life story may try to replicate the success of Wicked in a novel way.
Monitoring the progress of this year's CinemaCon, there were two high profile absences from Tuesday's Lionsgate panel: the supposedly scrapped Saw XI and the Training Day helmer's historical drama. Seeing as Michael's current release date is set for October 3rd, that's a bit concerning. However, chatter out of Deadline suggests that the first cut of the picture clocked in at about four hours.
So since Wicked's expansion of a known musical quantity has already made box office gold, there are now rumblings that Michael could be split into two parts itself. That move feels sound when it comes to trying to get Jackson's life and times into a comprehensive, but viewable package. And if the supposed legal challenge that would require a massive reshoot/redraft of the final act is true, that substantial problem could be more easily handled.
We know that Michael finished shooting earlier this year, which paired with the buzz from 2024's CinemaCon footage had people hotly anticipating its debut. Depending on who you talk to, the rumored cause for this potential delay is due to how Jordan Chandler's sexual abuse allegations against Jackson were legally prohibited from being depicted in any form.
The supposed problem lies in further claims noting that director Antoine Fuqua and writer John Logan's movie reportedly banks its entire final act on that event, and the effects it had on the King of Pop. In a scenario where these claims are proven to be accurate, there would need to be a lot of work to right the ship. So having half a movie that's finished and teasing the rest of the story would be a great compromise that allows such changes.
At the same time, if those claims are false and Lionsgate is really just retooling for a new cinematic event, then Michael being split in two still stands to be a potential double win. The dramatic tension that'd come from leaving off on one of Michael Jackson's greatest hits is something that you could see hyping fans up for the next round.
Not to mention, between doubling the awards season plays for this picture and riding the wave of audiences that continue to flock to Broadway's MJ: The Musical, this hypothetical scenario starts to make a lot more sense. At least until you start to wonder what will happen if the proposed Michael: Part One doesn't hit as anticipated.
We'll be waiting for updates as this story develops, but for now Michael is set to debut as a singular motion picture, starting October 3rd. As for Wicked: For Good, we'll see Elphaba and Glinda reunite on November 21st, as scheduled.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lyna Khoudri & Lucas Bravo, Georgina Amorós & Omar Ayuso Among Duos To Play Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy In Multilingual Audible Versions Of ‘Pride & Prejudice'
EXCLUSIVE: Lyna Khoudri and Lucas Bravo, Georgina Amorós and Omar Ayuso, Emilia Schüle and Aaron Altaras, Julia Dalavia and Rodrigo Simas, and Ludovica Martino and Federico Cesari have been cast to portray Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in the upcoming multilingual Audible Original adaptations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The new audio series will be available in German, Italian, French, Brazilian Portuguese, and Castilian Spanish, from September 9 in Germany, France, and French Canada and on October 6, in Spain, Brazil, Italy, and for US Hispanic Audiences. More from Deadline 'From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast' Returning For Season 4 Winston Duke Set To Lead Audible Thriller Series 'Kingsland' From Kevin Hart & Charlamagne Tha God's SBH Productions Caleb McLaughlin To Star In Scripted Podcast 'Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi' For Audible & QCODE The castings and schedule is as follows: Releasing September 9, 2025: German: Emilia Schüle as Elizabeth Bennet and Aaron Altaras Mr. Darcy French: Lyna Khoudri as Elizabeth Bennet and Lucas Bravo) as Mr. Darcy – releasing in France and French Canada Releasing October 6, 2025: Italian: Ludovica Martino as Elizabeth Bennet and Federico Cesari as Mr. Darcy Brazilian Portuguese: Julia Dalavia as Elizabeth Bennet and Rodrigo Simas as Mr. Darcy Castilian Spanish: Georgina Amorós as Elizabeth Bennet and Omar Ayuso as Mr. Darcy – releasing in Spain and the US. Today's casting follows the recently announced English language cast, led by BAFTA nominated Marisa Abela (Industry) as Elizabeth Bennet, and BAFTA and BIFA nominated Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) who will play Mr. Darcy, as well Will Poulter, Jessie Buckley, Toheeb Jimoh, David Gyasi, Rosalind Eleazar, Bertie Carvel, Charlotte Lucas, Bill Nighy, Marianne Jean Baptise, Sophie Wilde, Antonia Salib, Patricia Allison, Aasiya Shah and Glenn Close. Audible's Pride and Prejudice has been adapted from the original by writer Lulu Raczka (Women, Beware The Devil) and is produced in collaboration with production company Brock Media, was executive-produced by Sarah Brocklehurst (The Outrun) and produced by Nicole Davis. Produced in Dolby Atmos, the audio drama features cinematic sound design by Brain Audio and an original score by Grammy nominated producer and composer Morgan Kibby. The English language adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, also releases in the UK, US, Canada, India and Australia on September 9th, during the year of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. Aurelie de Troyer, Head of Regional content Europe at Audible commented: 'Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and Audible is thrilled to delight audiences with our most ambitious multi-language audio adaptation yet, with six language editions launching globally in 2025. Each Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy pairing has been perfectly matched, bringing electric chemistry to their performances, as only the intimacy of audio can deliver.' The book's synopsis reads: 'When Elizabeth Bennet meets the handsome Mr. Darcy, she believes he is the last man she could ever marry, but as their lives become intertwined, she finds herself captivated by the man she has sworn to hate forever.' Best of Deadline List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gibson brings back its wild Les Paul acoustic hybrid for the first time in more than 20 years
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There's no doubt that the Gibson Les Paul is one of the most iconic electric guitars ever produced, but does it work as an acoustic guitar? That's a question Gibson is clearly keen to answer with the launch of the Les Paul Parlor. It's likely to divide fans (similar to how Fender's Acoustasonic range split opinion) but it's certainly an interesting concept. Gibson is approaching cautiously here. Unlike its previous Les Paul acoustic iterations – which came in 1969 and 2000 for three and four-year runs, respectively – the body shape is a lot smaller this time around. Featuring a parlor-sized body 'reminiscent of a scaled-down SJ-200', its compactness may just sway those on the fence about this hybrid aesthetic. Taking tonewood cues from the source material, its back and sides are crafted with solid mahogany, and there's a AAA flame maple top for 'a bit of bite and note definition to the warm tone from the mahogany body'. The bookmatched top also benefits from traditional scalloped X-bracing with single-ply cream binding found all over to ensure the Les Paul's legendary chic carries across. Mahogany is also employed for the neck, which has a notable Advanced Response profile. Expect a neck that's not 'too beefy nor too slim', while its 12"-radius, 19-fret fingerboard is made from rosewood. Pearloid trapezoid inlays harmonize with the guitar's cream binding (and continues the LP vibe, naturally) and the neck attaches to the body with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint. Rosewood returns for the bridge, which is installed in a belly-down orientation. TUSQ is the material of choice for its nut and saddle, and its Grover Rotomatic tuners are nickel-plated. Another hint of the parlor's electric lineage comes via the mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and gold Les Paul Model decal on the headstock. And, seeing as it's part of the LP family, it would be remiss not to saddle this thing up with some pickups. An L.R. Baggs VTC +4 under-saddle piezo pickup and active preamp are the electronics of choice here. As the system's name implies, this model has an output 4dB hotter than the standard VTC system. Still, we can't imagine this guitar is going to be hooked up to a Marshall stack. There are two finish options available, Vintage Sunburst and Vintage Cherry Sunburst, and both are available as left-handed models too. The Gibson Les Paul Parlor is priced at $3,999 and comes with a hardshell case. Head to Gibson to oggle it some more. Gibson has been evolving its acoustic range in 2025, with top picks including a new Acoustic Specials series that brings its most beloved (and expensive) designs to lower price points, a downsized, single-cut take on the SJ-200 via the Parlor Rosewood EC, and a signature, twist-laden take on the J-45 for Margo Price.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Extraordinary' sarcophagus discovered in Israel shows carving of Dionysus beating Hercules in a drinking contest
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus depicting a legendary drinking contest has been discovered in Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Monday (June 9). Archaeologists uncovered the artifact, which dates back to the second or third century A.D., near the ancient city of Caesarea along the country's northwest coast. The carved marble depicts a drinking contest between the demigod Hercules and Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and parties, who is equivalent to Bacchus in the Roman pantheon. Though similar scenes appear in mosaics from the same period, the find marks the first appearance of this particular story on a sarcophagus from the region. "This sarcophagus is an extraordinary work of art," Mark Avrahami, head of artistic conservation at the IAA, said in a translated video. "There are not many sarcophagi like this, even in the world." The 1,700-year-old sarcophagus was buried beneath a sand dune and fractured into pieces when archaeologists uncovered it as part of a series of excavations of the city. After the pieces were excavated, conservators cleaned and reassembled the parts to reveal the full scene. One unbroken side of the marble coffin shows Hercules depicted lying on a lion skin. "He's at the end of the contest holding a cup of wine in his hand, and of course he's in this position because in the contest Dionysus, the god of wine — whom no one can defeat — emerged victorious," Nohar Shahar, an archaeologist with the IAA, said in the video. Dionysus is shown as part of a joyful procession, surrounded by satyrs, female followers and Pan, the god of the wild. "In this case, it seems that the figures are not only celebrating — they are in fact accompanying the dead on his last journey, when drinking and dancing are transformed into a symbol of liberation and transition to life in the next world," Shahar said in a statement. "This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of death — not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path." Image 1 of 2 How the marble sarcophagus looked after its preservation. Image 2 of 2 Archaeologists found the sarcophagus in this excavation site outside the ancient walls of the city of Caesarea. RELATED STORIES —1,700-year-old Roman fort discovered in Germany was built to keep out barbarians —2,800-year-old structure unearthed in Israel was likely used for cultic practices and sacrifice, archaeologists say —2,200-year-old mysterious pyramid structure filled with coins and weapons found near Dead Sea Archaeologists found the sarcophagus outside the walls of Caesarea, an ancient city by the Mediterranean Sea, alongside other marble slabs with names inscribed on them. These discoveries suggest that Caesarea wasn't only confined to within its walls, and that the surrounding area was more densely populated and rich in artifacts than archaeologists previously thought, Shahar said in the video. "This is a thought-provoking discovery reflecting how life and faith were perceived in the Roman world," IAA director-general Eli Escusido said in the statement. The sarcophagus is undergoing thorough conservation before being made available for public viewing.
