Man, the buzz for Antoine Fuqua’s latest film, Emancipation, really went quiet, didn’t it? The Oscars hopes for that one remain unknown, but what Fuqua is working on next is guaranteed to have people talking from start to finish. Why? Because it’s a biopic on the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Lionsgate has confirmed that Fuqua will direct Michael, one of those pop music biopics that people love so much nowadays. The film will have a script by John Logan, acclaimed writer of Gladiator and The Aviator, with Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King also aboard.
“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that combining film and music are a deep part of who I am,” said Fuqua. “For me, there is no artist with the power, the charisma, and the sheer musical genius of Michael Jackson. I was influenced to make music videos by watching his work – the first Black artist to play in heavy rotation on MTV. His music and those images are part of my worldview, and the chance to tell his story on the screen alongside his music was irresistible.”
So just how deep is this thing going to go? We know it’ll cover terrain from his start in the Jackson 5 to the top of the music mountaintop. But what about the sketchy stuff? His various romantic relationships that all turned out to be pretty weird. Will there be a Culkin sighting? How about Bubbles? Will there be any talk of the sexual assault allegations by underage boys? I doubt it, but you never know. The Jackson estate is behind this, so I would bet on not seeing much about that stuff.
And who is going to play MJ? That’s going to be a tough role for whoever lands it. Stay tuned.
