Latest news with #AntoineFuqua
UPI
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Famous birthdays for May 30: Antoine Fuqua, Idina Menzel
1 of 2 | Antoine Fuqua attends the premiere of "The Terminal List" at the DGA Theatre in Los Angeles on June 22, 2022. The filmmaker turns 60 on May 30. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
From legal issues to reshoots: is the Michael Jackson biopic cursed?
As adult audiences for non-spectacle theatrical releases have waned post-Covid, one subgenre has survived long enough to feel like a franchise unto itself: the pop musician biopic. Not every new entry is a Bohemian Rhapsody-level smash; some, like the dreary Amy Winehouse biography Back to Black or the misbegotten Whitney Houston movie I Wanna Dance with Somebody, outright flop. But there are still enough success stories like A Complete Unknown ($140m worldwide, eight Oscar nominations) to assure every pantheon pop artist in America will probably receive this treatment eventually. 'Eventually' has become the operative word for Michael, a biopic of globally revered but controversial pop star Michael Jackson. The film from Antoine Fuqua was supposed to have been released by now; it was originally set to come out in April 2025. After an initial delay to October of this year, it's now looking likely to shift to sometime in 2026, not least because it has scheduled 22 days of additional shooting in June. Two months after its intended release, it's going back in front of cameras for nearly enough time to shoot an entirely separate film. That may be the eventual result, though it's not the intention of the additional filming this year. The plan now seems to involve reconfiguring Michael into a two-part movie; the new material will be used to expand the first half of the story, which – for 'part one', anyway – will leave off around 1980. That's before Thriller, before Bad, and well before the 1993 allegations of child abuse, which gave way to a 1994 settlement and a separate trial over child molestation charges in 2005. The movie apparently included scenes with a Jackson accuser whose settlement with his estate included the provision that he not be included in any dramatizations. As is often the case with modern musical biopics, the estate is signing off on the film, and their lack of proper oversight has turned a dramatic decision into a legal problem. Turning one movie into two buys the film-makers more time to figure out how to fix the later stretch of the film so that it's no longer in breach. And, hey, maybe it'll also double the box office – eventually. Another sign of musical biopics leaning into their status as event movies is their apparent willingness to embrace modern-day franchise tropes. Hence an upcoming quartet of Beatles biopics, one for each member of the band, and film-makers turning the Jackson estate's carelessness into an opportunity to treat his story like a YA fantasy. The dissonance, of course, comes from the fact that this particular case of eventizing is meant to better address multiple accusations of child abuse against the King of Pop. That these accusations are included at all is surprising and, at first, sounds downright bold for a subgenre that favors legally agreed-upon narratives of questionable veracity. (Even a film as initially electric as Straight Outta Compton eventually settles down into feeling like a mutually beneficial talking points hashed out by lawyers and producers, rather than a story with genuine meaning.) But that's just it: there's no chance the ultra-protective (and lucrative) Jackson estate has signed off on a biopic that is anything short of deeply sympathetic to Jackson's side of this upsetting story. The actor playing Jackson, for example, could hardly be more estate-approved: it's Jaafar Jackson, the musician's nephew. Does that sound like a casting choice aiming for an unflinching portrait, or one that indulges the spectacle of allowing Michael Jackson to live again? A Jackson semi-hagiography that still manages to include child-molestation material – whether treated carefully or with legally actionable cruelty to Jackson's accusers – seems like a worst-of-both-worlds proposition. It's notable that some of the biggest recent biopic flops, both financially and creatively, are those that must contend with some degree of tragic, relatively recent history: the early death of Amy Winehouse; the addiction issues that the Whitney Houston movie gracelessly sanitizes. Those films still felt like legally fussed-with estate agreements – like authorized merch, in other words – while also bumming audiences out with the unavoidable sadness at their center. On top of that, Jackson's story has that early-death factor alongside accusations far more troubling than the self-destruction of Houston or Winehouse. To unapologetically celebrate Jackson would mean skewing some details of his final decade-plus of life beyond recognition – or simply ignoring much of it. There are signs that Jackson is so beloved, so close to a kind of pop martyrdom, that this is a winning strategy. The success of MJ the Musical, a jukebox accounting of Jackson's creative process, suggests that there are plenty of people willing to overlook Jackson's personal demons in favor of a de facto greatest-hits concert. That Broadway show has raked in millions over the past three years, expanding to London and Australia, while conveniently orienting itself in 1992, the year before the first public allegations against Jackson. Maybe that's the strategy behind making Michael into a two-part epic. No matter what the second half may bring (and it sounds as if the film-makers may legitimately not know how or if that will pan out), a movie that ends shortly after the release of his solo debut Off the Wall can get away with peddling nostalgia, otherworldly talent, and triumph over adversity. Then a second movie can provide the illusion of due diligence while also selling itself as a sequel to a blockbuster crowd-pleaser. (It's also not too far removed from the old music-industry scam of counting double albums as two sales instead of one.) On paper, the details of Michael sound like a potential fiasco: an involved but careless estate, a money-sucking repair job, a first-time actor in the lead, and material that tests audiences' willingness to tolerate in their theme-parky tributes. Yet in reality, it could be a game-changer in further eroding the boundaries between the art of biography and the business of legacy-making. Jackson changed music history in his lifetime; now he's being given a chance to change movie-music history from beyond.
Metro
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Michael Jackson biopic's exhausting runtime confirmed in major update
Movie bosses have shared a huge update on the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, revealing that we will be waiting for the release a little longer. The hugely-anticipated film was first announced in 2023, and will focus on the King of Pop's rollercoaster career in the spotlight before his death in 2009, at the age of 50. His nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will make his screen debut as the Thriller singer alongside Colman Domingo, Katherine Jackson, Kat Graham and Miles Teller, while Antoine Fuqua signed up to direct. While some got a glimpse at footage from Michael last year at CinemaCon, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer has now revealed that the anticipated release date has been pushed back. In the Q4 2025 earnings call, via Variety, he also confirmed that it will have a run-time of around three-and-a-half hours in total. 'In regard to our Michael Jackson biopic, we're excited about the three-and-a-half hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, and we will be announcing a definitive release strategy and timing in the next few weeks,' the outlet reports he said. 'I would note that it is likely we will move Michael out of the fiscal year which will impact fiscal 2026 financial results but will bolster an already strong fiscal 2027 slate.' The fiscal year ends in March 2026, so the film is now set to premiere at some point after April 1, 2026. Michael was originally slated to be released last month, but reshoots were still taking place in March, meaning the date was then shuffled to October. The project reportedly has an eyewatering budget of $155million, with speculation that it could be split into multiple parts due to the extensive footage. According to Deadline, Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson touched on the speculation of a two-part biopic on the call, promising that more information will be available soon. 'At the end, when you look at the music library, when you look at what Michael Jackson was able to deliver in terms of music and contributions to art, whether or not that can be fit into one movie comfortably or not is a question that we are absolutely asking,' he continued. 'We'll be ready to answer more specifically in the coming weeks. More Trending Addressing the huge runtime, he added: 'Any number of the biggest motion pictures over the last ten or 20 years have had first cuts of movies that were well in excess three and a half hours. 'And when Jon mentioned the footage, it wasn't a cut, it was an accumulation of scenes that we've seen.' The movie, when we eventually get our hands on it, will offer fans a 'riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant man who became the King of Pop. 'The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale – from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Billy Joel, 76, cancels all tour dates after being diagnosed with brain condition MORE: Britney Spears hit with 'warning' after 'smoking on flight' during latest holiday MORE: JoJo Siwa plays coy as she's quizzed on being caught kissing Chris Hughes
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Michael Jackson biopic delayed until 2026
Lionsgate Studios CEO Jon Feltheimer shared an update on the film that stars Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson in his big-screen debut. "In regard to our Michael Jackson biopic, we're excited about the three and a half hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, and we will be announcing a definitive release strategy and timing in the next few weeks,". "I would note that it is likely we will move Michael out of the fiscal year."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Jackson Biopic 'Likely' Delayed by a Year After News of Major Reshoots Due to Controversies
The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic is unlikely to hit theaters before the end of 2025, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said on Thursday, May 22. 'In regard to our Michael Jackson biopic, we're excited about the 3½ hours of amazing footage from producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, and we will be announcing a definitive release strategy & timing in the next few weeks,' Feltheimer said during the studio's Q4 2025 earnings call, per Variety and Indiewire. Feltheimer said it was 'likely' the studio will have to move the film, titled Michael, out of the 2025 fiscal year, 'which will impact fiscal '26 financial results but will bolster an already strong fiscal '27 slate.' Lionsgate's fiscal year ends on March 31, 2026, meaning Michael might not hit theaters until after April 2026. Later, Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson confirmed during a call after the quarterly earnings call that Michael will be split into two parts, per Deadline. Lionsgate did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. In late January, Puck reported that Michael will need to be overhauled during reshoots after lawyers learned of a clause in a settlement agreement between Jackson and one of his accusers. In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old Jordan Chandler. The musician, who died in 2009 at age 50, and the Chandler family reached a settlement out of court, reportedly for $25 million. According to Puck's sources, the settlement specified that the Chandlers could never be mentioned or dramatized in a movie. The outlet reported that John Logan's script featured the Chandler situation and the agreement was overlooked when the screenplay was previously vetted and approved. "The Michael Jackson biopic is not in total chaos,' a source close to the production told PEOPLE on Jan. 24. 'The inflammatory headlines about the moving halting are simply not true. The film is moving forward, and reshoots are happening in March." Spokespersons for Lionsgate (the film's distributor), producer King and attorney Jonathan Steinsapir (who represents the Jackson estate) did not respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment about the reports in January. Lionsgate featured Michael in its 2024 CinemaCon presentation, but didn't show any footage this year, despite principal photography already being completed in May 2024. The film was scheduled for April 18, 2025, but was then pushed to Oct. 3, 2025, in November. In April, Variety reported Michael was unlikely to be released on that day due to the reshoots, adding that it might be split into two movies. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Jackson estate has repeatedly denied abuse accusations made against the late singer, who was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005. Additional allegations were aired in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, prompting an ongoing legal battle. Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Bohemian Rhapsody's Graham King. Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the singer. Coleman Domingo and Nia Long play Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson, while Miles Teller plays Branca. Read the original article on People
