HBO film revives lurid claims and threatens Michael Jackson's flourishing estate



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Jackson's lure on the market can be put to the test: "Do not stop it, you'll have enough", the musical produced by the estate and Columbia Live Stage, a division of Sony Pictures. Scheduled for a Broadway premiere in 2020, it is comprised of a high-level creative team: Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage writes the book and Christopher Wheeldon, a ballet luminary, is the choreographer.

Since "Leaving Neverland" debuted at Sundance, the fate of the musical has been talked about in theatrical circles. A test in Chicago has been canceled. Producers blamed scheduling conflicts after the actors' strike. A spokesman for the show said the production was on schedule.

The main question, said Stacy Wolf, a Princeton theater teacher, is whether Ms. Nottage, known for her politically-charged work, has the freedom to move away from the clean-cut story of Mr. Jackson's life. The show, which will incorporate Jackson's songs, was announced as being based on the period leading up to his "Dangerous" tour of 1992 and 1993 – a tour interrupted when allegations of abuse were made.

"The question is, can she understand, as a playwright, how to tell the story that she wants to tell, without compromising her policy and without taking care of this very difficult area?", A said Mrs. Wolf.

Through the spokesperson of the series, the producers and Mrs. Nottage refused to comment.

In its application for arbitration, the Jackson estate accused HBO of violating a 1992 agreement with the singer to broadcast a concert in Bucharest, Romania. The estate said the contract contained a no-break clause that HBO had violated with "Leaving Neverland".

The filing – which begins, "Michael Jackson is innocent. Period. "- also seeks the credibility of MM. Robson and Safechuck. The filing says the two men "are suing Jackson's estate for hundreds of millions of dollars," appealing. (In response, HBO announced its intention to broadcast "Leaving Neverland, as announced," despite desperate efforts to undermine the film. ")

In the #MeToo era, aggressive statements against the accusers may not be effective, said Matthew Hiltzik, whose firm, Hiltzik Strategies, manages crisis management for celebrities and corporations.

"It is understandable that an estate wants to fight back in every way possible because of the unique challenges of trying to rebut the claims against someone who has been dead for 10 years," he said. said Mr Hiltzik. "But that could turn against the content of the documentary and the current climate."

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