After a longer-than-expected wait, it's finally here: the much-discussed biopic about the life of Michael Jackson—also known as the "King of Pop"—has already generated impressive box office numbers upon its debut, while also attracting an inevitable barrage of controversy. Since the initial delays due to the 2023 actor and screenwriter strikes, the project has encountered a long series of complications throughout development, not only in terms of production but also in terms of creativity and, so to speak, information.

The screenplay caused particular headaches, having undergone several revisions to avoid the risk of legal repercussions, especially in light of the sexual harassment allegations the star has faced over the years. This also impacted the narrative structure as well as the project's very purpose: once editing was completed, further changes and reshoots were necessary to replace the cuts made in the final section, further extending the production schedule.

The result was a year-long delay from the initial release date and a plot that omits any reference to the biography's most controversial points. As Lionsgate head Adam Fogelson specifically noted to Business Insider, the film changed dramatically after the reshoots: "It focuses primarily on Jackson's meteoric rise to stardom, starting with the Jackson 5 and culminating in Jackson just about to begin work on his hit solo album, Bad. The only abuse addressed in the film is the scenes in which Jackson's father, Joe, whips him as a child."

Convinced, despite the upheavals, of the success of the work and optimistic about the release of a sequel that will help explore the remaining obscure areas, he added: “From my point of view, it's important to try to give audiences an authentic understanding of who Michael Jackson was. So I think we can do it with or without some of the parts of the third act that were cut. […] Personally, I think that by watching this film, you can learn about the extraordinarily unusual circumstances that influenced Michael Jackson from a very young age. This film isn't afraid to show the most unusual aspects of his life. But we believe that we can and will tell more, and that will depend not only on the film's success, but also on what audiences ask of us, and we believe, based on the feedback we've received, that's exactly what they will tell us.”

True to form, "Michael" has set cinemas alight internationally with the best opening ever for a biopic, grossing $97 million in the U.S. market alone upon release—from 3,955 theaters with a per-theater average of $24,525—and $217 million globally. These numbers put it well ahead of the box office hit "Bohemian Rhapsody," which opened with $50 million. Italian audiences have also welcomed the title equally positively, immediately placing it at number one with €6.4 million in 640 theaters and a total of 234,450 admissions.

But even though efforts were made to limit—at least financially—any potential side effects, the film's release could only rekindle controversy among Jackson's detractors. Adding fuel to the fire was Dan Reed, the director who, in the documentary "Leaving Neverland," attempted to shed light on the artist's troubled past, citing especially the child abuse trials.

Reacting to the title's commercial success, he told The Hollywood Reporter: "It shows that people don't care that he was a pedophile. Literally, people just don't care. I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And unless we have concrete video evidence of Michael Jackson having sex with a 7-year-old, I don't know what would be enough to change those people's minds."

Outraged by the decision to remove significant parts of the star's life from the film, he continued: "How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of pedophilia? I just can't understand it. If anyone benefits from this, it's Michael Jackson's estate and the people who worked on this biopic."

Harsh words that, today as then, keep alive the debate on an issue as thorny as it is uncertain, and such an exclusive event, after all, could only provoke such a reaction. We'll see, in this regard, if new behind-the-scenes information emerges, perhaps impacting the interest the audience is showing in the theater.

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