Jaafar Jackson on How the ‘Michael’ Sequel Will Finally Tackle Past Allegations
When the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” hit theaters in April, it became a global box office sensation—shattering records as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time and reigniting Jackson fever worldwide. But alongside the biopic’s massive success came fierce backlash over what was left unsaid: the film completely sidestepped the child sexual abuse allegations that defined the King of Pop’s later years. Now, leading man and nephew Jaafar Jackson is breaking his silence, revealing that the upcoming sequel will finally tackle the dark, controversial chapter head-on.
In a recent cover story for GQ Middle East, Jaafar Jackson said that while he doesn’t know the full extent of what will be covered, the sequel will broach the topic.
“I think the second film will give even more insight from his point of view,” he said. Adding that the allegations have always been told from someone else’s perspective, the sequel biopic will finally let audiences hear MJ’s voice. “It’s 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.”
Jackson also noted that splitting the film into two parts will allow fans to get deeper insight into who Michael really was. While the first film taught audiences about his upbringing and how he became the legendary vocalist and performer, the second film will explore how the artist tried to remain grounded despite being a global icon.
“You get that idea of who he was before he had all the success and became the icon that people are familiar with; you understand who he was as a human being first, because at the end of the day, that’s who he was in the ’90s until he passed. 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. He never stopped believing in and wanting to look for the good in people… even though he was broken, his heart still stayed the same… I hope that this is felt in the second movie.”
Jaafar Jackson also dropped some hints about why Janet Jackson was noticeably missing from the film.
“I don’t want to speak too early, but Janet has ideas of maybe doing her own film. So having someone portrayed in this and then choosing a different actor for her own is just—” the actor said before cutting himself short.
Related: The 5 Most Shocking Things Paris Jackson Revealed About Her Childhood With Michael Jackson
The Root previously told you Michael Jackson’s first allegation of child sexual abuse emerged in 1993, when Evan Chandler, the father of 13-year-old Jordan Chandler, accused the pop star of sexually abusing his son. The LAPD and Santa Barbara County authorities launched a criminal investigation, questioning several young boys in Jackson’s circle and executing a search warrant at his Neverland Ranch estate for evidence, the Los Angeles Times reported. The 1993 probe did not result in criminal charges because of a lack of supporting evidence.
Fast forward to 2026: Wade Robson and James Safechuck—two men who allege Jackson sexually abused them when they were children in the late 1980s and 1990s—are heading toward a 2028 trial against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, Rolling Stone reported. The lawsuit seeks to hold Jackson’s corporate entities liable for allegedly failing to protect them.
And in June, just two months after the release of “Michael,” Netflix released a three-part documentary, “Michael Jackson: The Verdict,” delving into all of the King of Pop’s legal issues.
Lionsgate hopes to begin filming for “Michael 2” in late 2026 or early 2027, according to Variety, with a tentative release date at the end of next year or in the first half of 2028.
