Key Takeaways
- Jaafar Jackson says the Michael sequel will address the sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson from his late uncle’s perspective.
- Jaafar called previous accounts "someone else’s story" and said they were "mainly driven by an agenda," arguing that his family wants Michael’s voice heard.
- The sequel remains in development for a late 2027 or early 2028 release after the first film crossed $1 billion worldwide and became the highest-grossing biopic ever.
Jaafar Jackson has shared that the sequel to the record-breaking Michael will touch upon his late uncle's infamous sexual abuse allegations.
In an interview with GQ Middle East, the actor said the second installment will put Michael Jackson's own view of the allegations front and center.
"I think 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," Jaafar said. The screenplay for the Antoine Fuqua-directed movie is currently in development.
Jaafar also pushed back firmly on previous accounts of the allegations, calling them "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 actor explained.
Elsewhere in the interview, Jaafar emphasized that the late King of Pop would have a chance for his point of view to be revealed. "There’s been so many stories told about Michael from so many different people," Jafaar said. "This is to tell Michael's story finally from the point of view of himself."
The first film ends in 1988 with Jackson performing at London's Wembley Stadium during the Bad World Tour. The child abuse allegations, which began in the early 1990s, were not addressed in it.
Director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan originally drafted scenes depicting Jackson's settlement with the family of Jordan Chandler, the 13-year-old who first sued Jackson for sexual abuse in 1993, but those scenes were ultimately scrapped, initially causing a delay in the project. Lawyers found the $20 million settlement legally barred Jackson's estate from portraying the Chandler family in a film.
Michael was released in April and quickly became the the highest-grossing biopic of all time, crossing $1 billion globally. The sequel is expected to be released in late 2027 or early 2028.
Jaafar, also detailed the emotional territory he hopes the sequel explores. "He never changed that purity, that sense of always wanting to find the good in other people," he said.
"And no matter all the stuff he went through, how he was treated, what things were said about him, he never stopped treating people with kindness… even though he was broken, his heart still stayed the same… I hope that this is felt in the second movie."
