‘Michael’ Sequel Will Address Child Abuse Allegations From Jackson’s Perspective, Says Jaafar Jackson

The initial biopic ‘Michael’ emerged as one of the biggest box office surprises of 2026, amassing over $1 billion globally, despite concluding its narrative in 1988, prior to the child sexual abuse allegations that later overshadowed Michael Jackson’s life and legacy. This storytelling choice faced considerable backlash from critics and commentators, many of whom felt the film overlooked the most challenging aspects of Jackson’s story.

As a sequel approaches production, Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, has revealed that the follow-up will confront these allegations from a unique perspective. In an interview with GQ Middle East, Jaafar expressed his belief that “the second film will give even more insight from his point of view, because at the end of the day, [the allegations] are always from someone else’s.”

He elaborated on the family’s perspective regarding the criticism directed at the first film, stating, “It’s someone else’s story. It’s someone else’s idea of what it is, and it’s mainly driven by an agenda. And that’s really the issue we’ve been having as a family – not having Michael’s voice being heard. I think that’s very, very important, especially in the late years.”

The allegations Jaafar mentioned trace back to 1993, when Michael Jackson was first accused of child molestation by Evan Chandler, whose then-13-year-old son Jordan alleged abuse. This case was settled out of court in 1994, with Jackson’s legal team asserting that the settlement was not an admission of guilt. Jackson later faced criminal charges in a separate case and was acquitted on all counts after a 2005 trial.

These allegations gained renewed attention in 2019 with the release of ‘Leaving Neverland,’ an HBO documentary featuring accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who detailed alleged abuse occurring when they were between seven and ten years old. Jackson was never criminally convicted in relation to either man’s claims.

As reported by Variety, the sequel was initially set to delve into the fallout from the 1993 allegations directly, with much of its third act centered around that scandal, before those scenes were reportedly cut due to a previously overlooked legal complication related to a settlement clause involving Jordan Chandler.

This removal necessitated costly reshoots, which were reportedly financed by the Jackson estate, who collaborated with the family on the film and has consistently denied the abuse allegations. Dan Reed, the director of ‘Leaving Neverland,’ reviewed an early draft of the biopic’s script and characterized it as a “complete whitewash” of Jackson’s history.

Co-star Colman Domingo has previously addressed the criticism, describing the first film on the “Today” show as covering “the making of Michael” and suggesting that the sequel could tackle the more challenging chapters from there. Lionsgate chairman Adam Fogelson confirmed to Variety that the studio plans to incorporate several sequences originally filmed for the first movie but ultimately cut, with production on the sequel expected to commence in late 2026 or early 2027 under returning director Antoine Fuqua.

Jaafar, whose casting as his uncle received public support from Michael’s mother Katherine Jackson and the Jackson estate, was careful to mention that he does not have the final say over how the sequel’s screenplay will handle the material, as the script is still in active development. He has generally avoided delving deeply into the broader public discourse surrounding the allegations in previous interviews, once sidestepping a question about the “biggest misconception” about his uncle by pointing out the idea that Jackson “wanted to be white.”

Given the scrutiny the first film faced for its omissions, how the sequel ultimately presents these allegations—whether as contested claims, family-disputed accusations, or something more directly addressed—will likely determine whether the follow-up alleviates that criticism or reignites it. With production still months away, how filmmakers will translate Jaafar’s comments into the final screenplay remains uncertain.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!