Director Slams Michael Jackson Biopic Hype: ‘Worse Than Jeffrey Epstein’

The new Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael,” was released today, and the director of “Leaving Neverland” is not pleased.

Dan Reed is known for the 2019 HBO documentary which explored the child sexual abuse allegations against the King of Pop, who died from an overdose in 2009. Reed said he can’t understand how anyone still believes Jackson should be celebrated.

“It says that people don’t care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don’t care,” Reed told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published earlier this week. “I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And short of having actual video evidence of Michael Jackson engaged in sexual intercourse with a 7-year-old child, I don’t know what would be sufficient to change these people’s minds.”

“Michael” director Antoine Fuqua addressed the accusations against Jackson in an interview with The New Yorker published Monday. “Sometimes people do some nasty things for some money,” he said of the multiple claims from victims who claimed Jackson abused them.

Reed responded to that, saying, “For Antoine Fuqua to accuse people of gold digging is kind of ironic… It seems to me all the people involved in this movie are just making bank.”

“How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?” Reed added. “I just don’t really see it. If anyone’s making money, it’s Michael Jackson’s estate and the people who worked on this biographical picture.”

“Wade and James, the protagonists of ‘Leaving Neverland,’ have never made a cent from their accusations,” Reed went on. “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 “Leaving Neverland” director also accused the media of “sucking up” to the Jackson estate for fear of retribution from the fans.

“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 was first accused of sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy in 1993. That case was settled for $20 million, and the pop singer never faced criminal charges. He was arrested on child molestation charges in 2003 and was acquitted in 2005. After Jackson’s death, more alleged victims came forward and sued Jackson’s estate in 2013.

There are rumors floating around that the original version of “Michael” did address the allegations, but those parts were cut due to a clause in the original settlement that provided the story could never be the subject of a movie. Actor Colman Domingo mentioned the omission while teasing the possibility of a sequel.

“The film takes place from the ’60s to 1988, so it does not go into the first allegations,” the actor, who plays Joe Jackson in the movie, said during a “Today” show appearance. “So basically, we centered it on the makings of Michael. So, it’s an intimate portrait of who Michael is … through his eyes.”

Domingo hinted at the “possibility” of a sequel, which he hinted would include the sexual abuse trial storyline.

“Michael” is getting mixed reviews, but is still expected to do well at the box office this weekend due to the devoted fans who will go see it no matter what.