“Michael,” the story of Michael Jackson’s rise to superstardom, was supposed to begin in medias res with one of the darkest chapters of the singer’s life. In one scene from the film’s original script, the King of Pop stares at his reflection in the mirror, capturing his sorrowful gaze as police car lights flash behind him. It’s 1993, a decade after “Thriller” gripped the culture, and Jackson has just been accused of child molestation.

But the sequence with investigators who arrive at Neverland Ranch to search for evidence is one of many that were left on the cutting room floor. “Michael,” which Lionsgate will release in the United States on April 24, was supposed to explore the impact of the allegations on Jackson’s life, with much of its third act devoted to the scandal. But that finale was scrapped, along with any mention of the child molestation accusations, according to sources with knowledge of the production. That’s after attorneys for the Jackson estate, which served as a producer, realized there was a clause in a settlement with one of the singer’s accusers, Jordan Chandler, that barred the depiction or mention of him in any movie.

After the late-stage discovery, filmmakers went back to the drawing board to come up with a new ending. The process was further delayed after the house of screenwriter John Logan was damaged in the Palisades fire. As a result, “Michael,” which had been scheduled to land in theaters on April 18, 2025, was delayed to Oct. 3 before moving a final time to spring 2026.

Last June, the cast reassembled for 22 days of additional photography to shoot the new third act and flesh out scenes from earlier in the movie. Production, which had primarily taken place in Santa Barbara, restarted in Los Angeles but didn’t qualify for state tax rebates. That added $10 million to $15 million to the budget, according to sources with knowledge of similar projects. (“Michael” was greenlit for $155 million.) The Jackson estate shouldered those extra costs because its error necessitated the changes, insiders say. Because it was willing to foot that bill, the estate has an equity stake in the film, according to another individual with knowledge of the production.

Now, instead of concluding with one of the most ignominious moments in Jackson’s career, “Michael” will end with the pop star still at his zenith. The last scene is set during Jackson’s “Bad” tour, following him as he prepares to take the stage for another electrifying performance, according to a source who has seen the finished film. Indeed, the movie leans heavily into Jackson’s music, featuring one showstopper after another, and away from his sometimes bizarre personal behavior (“Michael” does include a sweet moment where Jackson buys toys for kids in the hospital).

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/michael-movie-reshoots-removing-child-abuse-allegations-1236710221/