BERLIN, Germany — Thousands of devoted fans of the late “King of Pop” Michael Jackson flocked to the German capital on Friday for an early premiere screening of the new biopic *Michael*, with longstanding child sexual abuse allegations against the star failing to dampen their enthusiasm for the project.
The upcoming feature, which casts Jackson’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, is projected by its production team to become one of the highest-grossing musical biopics ever released worldwide. Only around 4,000 lucky attendees secured access to the Friday evening screening, with tickets distributed exclusively through prize draws two weeks ahead of the film’s official global theatrical launch. For fans who did not win entry, organizers have planned a full weekend of Jackson-themed events, including public panel discussions with the film’s production crew, a career-spanning exhibition celebrating the singer’s life and work, and multiple themed fan parties.
Jackson, who died at 50 in 2009 from an accidental overdose of the anesthetic propofol, faced repeated child sexual abuse allegations throughout his later career. While he was acquitted of all criminal charges in a 2005 molestation trial, he never successfully repaired his public image during his lifetime. Since his death, additional accusers have filed civil lawsuits against the star’s estate, with several legal proceedings still active as of the premiere. No criminal or civil court has ever issued a guilty verdict against Jackson related to these allegations.
According to industry outlet *Variety*, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the production, the film was originally developed to examine how the abuse allegations shaped Jackson’s personal life and career. However, producers were forced to cut roughly one-third of the finished project after legal representatives for the Jackson estate identified a contractual clause in a past settlement with one of the accusers that barred any mention of that individual in the film. The extensive rewrites and reshoots required to comply with the clause pushed the film’s global release date from its originally scheduled April 18, 2025 launch to an undetermined future date.
Many fans in attendance at the Berlin premiere emphasized their continued support for Jackson’s legacy, dismissing the allegations as unsubstantiated. Andy Escobar, a 31-year-old aircraft mechanic who traveled from the United States for the event, shared that his childhood nickname was “MJ” because of his lifelong fandom. When asked about the allegations, Escobar stated simply, “We know that’s not true.” Megane Kittler, a 31-year-old educator based in Berlin who originally hails from France, echoed that sentiment, pointing to Jackson’s 2005 acquittal as proof of his innocence.
Distributor Lionsgate is projecting the biopic will earn $700 million in global box office revenue. If the projection holds, *Michael* will become the second-highest grossing musical biopic of all time, outranking nearly all competitors but falling short of 2018’s *Bohemian Rhapsody*, the Freddie Mercury-focused biopic that earned $910 million worldwide.