- Dan Reed, the filmmaker behind the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, has criticised the new Michael Jackson biopic Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson, for omitting the later child abuse allegations against the late pop icon.
- Reed stated that the film's success suggests people 'don’t care that he was a child molester' and that many 'love his music and turn a deaf ear' to the allegations, which Jackson denied and was acquitted of.
- He also criticised media coverage of the biopic, suggesting some press 'suck up to the Jackson machine' due to the estate's influence and the financial opportunities associated with the Jackson brand.
- The biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua, received a 96 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes despite being widely panned by critics, including The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey, who called it a 'ghoulish, soulless cash grab'.
- Despite critical reviews, Michael is projected to achieve a significant worldwide opening, indicating a strong audience reception that contrasts sharply with critical opinion.
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