’s biopic is currently ‘in prep’ and his nephew Jaafar is going to be playing him.
As one of Jermaine Jackson’s seven children, Jaafar is already a singer himself and even released the track Got Me Singing in 2019, so logic follows he will probably be flexing his vocals for the upcoming film, simply called Michael.
Antoine Fuqua – known for Training Day and Emancipation – will be directing the biopic, which is set to be written by Skyfall’s John Logan. It will be produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), alongside co-executors of Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain.
Now, Antoine has said Jaafar’s likeness to Jackson is ‘uncanny’.
Speaking to , he said: ‘Michael was supposed to start shooting this year.
‘Michael’s nephew Jaafar is playing him — it’s uncanny how he’s so much like Michael, it’s actually scary.’
Of course, while Jackson’s King of Pop status is well-known, so are child sex-abuse allegations brought against him.
‘We’re just going to tell the facts as we know it, the good bad and the ugly,’ said Antoine of the biopic.
Lionsgate has also said the film will ‘address all aspects of Jackson’s life.’
The Thriller hitmaker denied the allegations, and in 2005 he was acquitted over the alleged abuse of a 13-year-old boy.
Earlier this month, judges at a US court said two men who claimed Jackson abused them as children – Wade Robson and James Safechuck – .
Robson and Safechuck laid out their allegations in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland.
Now, the pair will be allowed to pursue lawsuits against companies owned by the late singer. It’s the second time the lawsuits (brought around a decade ago) have been brought back after dismissal.
Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed slammed the biopic’s creation in an article for The Guardian, where he said it would ‘.’
This comes after what . His rarely-seen sons Prince and Blanket joined his fans in Las Vegas on Tuesday for celebrations.
The superstar singer died in 2009 at the age of 50 from an overdose of anaesthetic propofol in his home.
