Movies - Michael : Lionsgate lands worldwide distribution to the Michael Jackson biopic 

By Mulder, 07 february 2022

Global content leader Lionsgate will team with Academy Award winning producer Graham King on Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic, it was announced today by Joe Drake, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. Lionsgate will distribute the film worldwide.
 
Michael will be produced by King and the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain. The screenplay is by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan. King and Logan previously collaborated on Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator. Logan also wrote Ridley Scott’s Best Picture winner Gladiator.
 
Michael will give audiences an in-depth portrayal of the complicated man who became the King of Pop. It will bring to life Jackson’s most iconic performances as it gives an informed insight into the entertainer’s artistic process and personal life.
 
Joe Drake said, “I am very excited that Lionsgate will be part of this epic film, and thrilled to be working with Graham, who has proven success in telling iconic life stories, from Bohemian Rhapsody to Ali; when combined with John, we couldn’t be in more extraordinary hands.”
 
“I first met the Jackson family in 1981 and I’m humbled to bring their legacy to the big screen,” said King. “Sitting at Dodger Stadium watching the Victory Tour, I could never have imagined that nearly 38 years later I would get the privilege to be a part of this film.”
 
“Ever since Michael was little, as a member of The Jackson 5, he loved the magic of cinema,” said Katherine Jackson. “As a family, we are honored to have our life story come alive on the big screen.”
 
Michael Jackson’s legacy and global reach as a recording artist, musician, and dancer is indisputable. He is the biggest-selling artist of all time, the most awarded entertainer of all time, and the artist behind the biggest-selling album of all time. Today, in 2022, his music still remains as relevant as it ever was.
 
Graham King’s films have been nominated for 71 Academy Awards®. He received an Academy Award® nomination for producing Bohemian Rhapsody, the blockbuster which grossed $911 million worldwide and earned star Rami Malek an Oscar® for his jaw-dropping portrayal of Freddie Mercury. He won the Oscar® for The Departed, and most recently produced Sandra Bullock’s The Unforgivable, which became one of the top-viewed films on Netflix. His passion for telling real-life stories has resulted in several critically and commercially successful films, including Ali, Argo, and The Aviator, among many others. He is currently developing the story of the Bee Gees for the big screen.
 
In addition to his Oscar nominated work, John Logan’s other films include Skyfall, Hugo, The Last Samurai, Any Given Sunday, and Sweeney Todd. He won the Tony for his play Red and wrote the book for the Best Musical Tony winner Moulin Rouge. He is represented by CAA.

(Source : press release)