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.”