Content Advisory: This article discusses allegations involving minors, legal claims, and sensitive subject matter. Reader discretion is advised.
Dan Reed is not letting the Michael Jackson conversation slide back into pure nostalgia.
The filmmaker behind the 2019 documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’ has criticized the new biopic ‘Michael’ after the movie reportedly drew major box office attention without, in his view, seriously confronting the abuse allegations that followed Jackson for years.
Reed’s question was blunt: “How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child abuser?”
That is the fight now surrounding ‘Michael.’ For some fans, Jackson remains the King of Pop. For Reed, any major film about the singer that avoids the allegations is leaving out one of the biggest and most disturbing parts of the story.
Reed Says Fans Are Choosing The Music Over The Claims
Reed said Jackson’s continuing popularity says something uncomfortable about the public. “It says that people don’t care that he was a child abuser. Literally, people just don’t care,” Reed told THR. “I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear.”
His documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’ centered on Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who accused Jackson of abusing them when they were children. Jackson denied allegations during his life, and his estate has continued to reject claims made against him.
Reed also pushed back against ‘Michael’ director Antoine Fuqua, who recently addressed accusations against Jackson in an interview with ‘The New Yorker.’ “Sometimes people do some nasty things for some money,” Fuqua said. Reed slammed that response. “For Antoine Fuqua to accuse people of gold digging is kind of ironic,” Reed said. “It seems to me all the people involved in this movie are just making bank.”
The Filmmaker Defended Jackson’s Accusers
Reed argued that Robson and Safechuck have not profited from their allegations. “Wade and James, the protagonists of ‘Leaving Neverland,’ have never made a cent from their accusations,” he said. “People don’t seem to understand: If you bring a lawsuit, you don’t get any money until you win in court. And when you win in court, that means you’ve proved your case, right?”
The director also accused parts of the media of going soft on Jackson’s legacy because of the singer’s estate, fanbase, and commercial power. He said the “Jackson machine” has made criticism costly, with years of backlash aimed at critics. He also argued that Jackson’s music and image remain extremely profitable, giving many people a reason to avoid the darker parts of the story.
Reed then delivered his harshest line. “So a lot of people, I think, will kind of swallow any misgivings they may have and just sort of say, ‘Oh well, it’s a great jukebox movie’ and just completely ignore the fact that this guy was worse than Jeffrey Epstein.”
Jackson Faced Multiple Allegations Before His Death
Jackson was first accused of sexual abuse by 13-year-old Jordan Chandler in 1993. The singer denied the allegations and later settled a civil case from Chandler’s family for more than $20 million. Authorities investigated, found no incriminating evidence, and did not bring criminal charges in that case.
In 2003, Jackson was arrested on child molestation charges and later indicted on 10 criminal counts. Those allegations came from Gavin Arvizo. The son of a former member of Jackson’s household staff also accused the singer of molesting him.
Jackson was acquitted of all charges in June 2005.
The singer died in 2009 at age 50. In 2013, Robson began legal action against Jackson’s estate and companies, alleging years of sexual abuse. Safechuck filed a similar suit the following year. A judge dismissed both cases in 2017 due to technical issues, without ruling on the credibility of their allegations.
Now, with ‘Michael’ bringing Jackson’s life back to the big screen, Reed is making one thing clear: he does not think audiences should be allowed to dance past the claims.
