Director Antoine Fuqua and producer Graham King allegedly received a combined $25 million in additional compensation following major changes to the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael. According to a new report, the extra payments were issued after the production was forced to cut and reshoot scenes referencing child sex abuse allegations.
According to PEOPLE, Fuqua was reportedly paid an extra $15 million, while King received an additional $10 million for the overhaul. Sources indicate that the original script for the film included sequences that directly addressed the legal and social controversies surrounding the late musician. However, these scenes were reportedly removed due to a specific clause in a prior settlement between Jackson and Jordan Chandler’s family.
The film’s restructuring aims to navigate these legal sensitivities while maintaining the project’s timeline. While reshoots are common in major Hollywood productions, the scale of these specific bonuses highlights the high stakes surrounding Jackson’s complicated legacy.
The highly anticipated biopic Michael arrived in theaters this weekend, but reports reveal the final cut differs significantly from the original vision. Much of the initial ending focused heavily on the 1993 child abuse allegations and their profound impact on the life of the King of Pop. One particularly poignant deleted scene featured Jackson staring into a mirror with a sorrowful gaze while police car lights flashed in the background.
The shift in direction came after attorneys for the Jackson estate identified a legal hurdle. A settlement clause with the accuser, Jordan Chandler, reportedly barred his depiction in the film, leading Lionsgate to scrap the original third act. Consequently, the production team filmed extensive reshoots to navigate these legal complexities while maintaining the narrative flow.
According to Variety, the cast reassembled last June for 22 days of additional filming. These sessions were used to craft a new conclusion and flesh out earlier scenes that had been left on the cutting room floor, including detailed sequences of investigators searching Neverland Ranch. Because the Los Angeles-based reshoots did not qualify for tax rebates, the production saw a budget increase of $10 million to $15 million, bringing the total cost to roughly $170 million.
Insiders suggest the Jackson estate covered the additional costs due to its significant equity stake and oversight role in the project. While the original ending delves deeper into the legal controversies of the nineties, the theatrical version offers a modified perspective that aligns with the estate’s legal requirements.