Here’s an update on the sequel we’ve all been breathlessly anticipating: “Michael 2.”
As it continues to pull in big numbers at the box office, it earned $11M on Tuesday alone — and talk of more is starting to ramp up. What, you thought they’d just end it there? No chance. Momentum like that doesn’t exactly invite restraint. The machine tends to keep moving.
In an interview on Matt Belloni’s The Town podcast, Lionsgate boss Adam Fogelson confirms that “Michael” producer Graham King wants to shoot the sequel this year. However, with Antoine Fuqua currently working on his Netflix-produced Hannibal the Cartaginian film with Denzel Washington, scheduling could complicate his return.
Belloni goes on to tell Fogelson that he’s heard a potential scenario in which King takes over as director for Fuqua, to which Fogelson backhandedly admits it could be an option, adding that more information should be announced in a couple of weeks.
And why wouldn’t King take over? It’s quite clear he’s the brains behind the entire operation — much like he was on “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Last week, Jeff Sneider hinted that King had essentially taken over reshoots for “Michael,” with Fuqua effectively being paid to stay quiet.
Ever since it posted a $97M domestic opening, a sequel to “Michael” has felt inevitable. My only question is: how can you possibly cover ’90s Michael Jackson without tackling the … spectacle that followed? The oxygen chamber; Neverland Ranch; the veiled faces, masks, and the blatant plastic surgery that turned his appearance into a constantly shifting identity.
Forget the allegations — with the Jackson estate overseeing the IP, and the singer’s accusers threatening legal action if the film so much as mentions their claims, it will almost certainly be watered down. That’s likely what writer John Logan is trying to figure out at the moment, and a big reason why the screenplay still hasn’t been completed — how exactly do you write this movie?
All the accusations from critics that “Michael” is sanitized may ultimately prove justified once the sequel arrives. However, much like the first film, audiences will still show up—they want to hear great tunes. The difference is that, unlike the first film, this sequel will tackle a decade when the music was overshadowed by the drama.