Michael Jackson is getting the biopic therapy. Lionsgate and director Antoine Fuqua are taking up the filmmaker’s life in a movie titled Michael, The truestarz has confirmed.

Graham King, a seasoned hand at biopics with the Oscar-winning Queen movie Bohemian Rhapsody underneath his belt, is producing together with John Branca and John McClain, who’re the co-executors of the Michael Jackson property. John Logan, who penned Gladiator and The Aviator, wrote the script.

“The primary movies of my profession have been music movies, and I nonetheless really feel that combining movie and music are a deep a part of who I’m,” mentioned Fuqua in an announcement. “For me, there isn’t any artist with the facility, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I used to be influenced to make music movies by watching his work – the primary Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and people photos are a part of my worldview, and the prospect to inform his story on the display screen alongside his music was irresistible.”

Jackson, who received 13 Grammys and rose from little one stardom within the Jackson 5 develop into the most important pop star on the earth, died in 2009 at age 50.

In accordance with Lionsgate, the movie will tackle all features of Jackson’s life, although it’s unclear how the movie will tackle the various controversies involving the late music icon, on condition that the movie is made together with his property, which has defended him in opposition to accusations of sexually abusing kids. These accusations have been returned to the general public discourse due to the 2019 HBO documentary, Leaving Neverland.

Lionsgate will deal with home distribution on Michael and can search a global accomplice on the characteristic. Music biopics have confirmed profitable lately, with the pre-pandemic Bohemian Rhapsody incomes $910 million globally, and Baz Lurhmann’s Elvis managing to lure older audiences again to theaters and rake in $287.3 million globally final yr. December’s Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Anyone had much less luck and has grossed $49.2 million globally.

Fuqua final directed Will Smith’s Emancipation and is filming The Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington. His lengthy profession has additionally included Coaching Day, which received Washington an Oscar. He’s repped by LBI Leisure and Johnson Shapiro.

Logan, repped by CAA, has additionally penned Skyfall, Hugo, The Final Samurai and Sweeney Todd.

King, who can be creating a Bee Gees biopic, beforehand produced finest image winner The Departed and Sandra Bullock’s Netflix hit The Unforgivable.