Fans Are Celebrating the ‘Michael’ Biopic, But a New Legal Battle is Already on the Horizon

At a time when Michael Jackson fans could be celebrating the fact that his recent biopic has become the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time, some are instead talking about a new trial related to lawsuits filed against his companies. And they’ve got good reason to be.

In case you missed it, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who alleged that Jackson molested them in the late 80s-early 90s, will be back in court soon. This time, it’s due to two separate lawsuits (initially filed in 2013 and 2014) that the men filed against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures—two companies Jackson was the sole owner of before he died.

For a little bit of context, the lawsuits have been bouncing in and out of the legal system due to different judges and rulings that kept giving and taking away their validity. But after the latest judge overturned a previous ruling in 2024 and one last schedule change, Robson and Safechuck will have their day in court and go to trial in February 2028.

The two men are suing for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Specifically, they’re arguing that the employees of Jackson’s aforementioned companies should be liable for the alleged abuse they suffered years ago.

The timing of this couldn’t be worse, though, considering that the success of the biopic is still the talk of the timelines. The film brought in millions and just broke a major box office record. This news also comes just two weeks after Netflix released its controversial documentary, “Michael Jackson: The Verdict,” which rehashed the sexual abuse claims and subsequent trial.

Knowing that another trial is on the horizon, as well as a sequel to the biopic, this could temper fans’ reactions and put yet another dent in their celebration.