The new Michael Jackson biopic. Why now?

This episode of *Today in Focus* examines the release of the new Michael Jackson biopic, *Michael*, and the complex cultural reckoning surrounding his legacy. The film, delayed for years due to legal disputes and reshoots, is positioned as a blockbuster celebration of Jackson's peak fame, ending just before the 1993 Jordan Chandler allegations. Despite a string of one-star reviews and controversy over its sanitized portrayal, the film is being heavily marketed with flash mobs, influencer screenings, and global pop-up events. The episode unpacks the tension between Jackson’s monumental cultural impact—evidenced by Thriller’s 80 million sales and his transformation of music videos—and the decades of serious child sexual abuse allegations, including the 1993 Chandler case, the 2005 trial, and the 2018 *Leaving Neverland* documentary. Contributors Owen Myers and Lanre Bakare explore how Jackson’s troubled upbringing, the grooming dynamics, and the racialized context of Black artists in America have fueled both defense and denial among fans and critics alike. The estate’s strategic monetization of Jackson’s image—through concerts, merchandise, and now the biopic—raises urgent questions about cultural amnesia, the ethics of celebrating artists with contested legacies, and whether the film is a triumph of PR or a symptom of collective denial. Key takeaways include: 1) The biopic avoids all major allegations due to a legal clause from the Chandler settlement, resulting in a sanitized narrative; 2) Jackson’s estate has turned his death into a multi-billion-dollar brand, with the film as its latest cash cow; 3) The gap between the 1990s allegations and today’s release has allowed doubt to creep in, enabling a narrative of 'benefit of the doubt'; 4) Many Black cultural critics defend Jackson not just out of loyalty, but as a response to historical racial injustice and the tendency to vilify Black figures; 5) The film’s success reflects a broader trend of sanitized biopics that celebrate music legends while excising their darker chapters. The episode concludes with a sense of unease: is this celebration of Jackson a tribute to artistry, or a surrender to the commodification of trauma?