The H๏τly-anticipated Michael Jackson biopic had its release date delayed by six months due to legal issues over dramatizing Sєxual abuse accuser Jordan Chandler and his family.

Michael, starring the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, was originally set for release on April 18, 2025 but Lionsgate announced last November the film will hit theaters months later on Oct. 3, 2025.

In 1993 Chandler won a reported $23million settlement from Jackson after his father Evan Chandler launched accusations that MJ Sєxually abused him at the age of 13. The singer was never charged over the allegations.

Now Puck co-founder Matthew Belloni reports the film’s storyline, the conclusion of which ‘hinges specifically on the impact of the Chandler circus’ will have to be rewritten and resH๏τ. 

It was claimed that as part of the settlement the Jackson family signed with Chandler, they are prevented from ever dramatizing the Chandler family or the incident

It was further claimed that part of the deal was not revealed to Michael producers and director Antoine Fuqua until last fall, when the $150million biopic had competed filming.

The H๏τly-anticipated Michael Jackson biopic had its release date delayed by six months due to legal issues over dramatizing Sєxual abuse accuser Jordan Chandler and his family – pictured Jaafar Jackson as MJ in the film 

Belloni writes: ‘In the script I read – which I’m told was close to final, but obviously these things are often revised – a tense sequence involves Branca (Miles Teller), Johnnie Cochran (Derek Luke), and other Jackson lawyers discussing whether to pay off Chandler and his family.”

‘At one point, the lawyers play the infamous recording, submitted in court, of Jordan’s father threatening to leverage his son’s accusations to ‘destroy’ his ex-wife and Jackson’s career.

‘The ensuing scenes dramatize the extensive police investigation, including a ‘traumatizing’ strip search of Michael that scars him for life.’

Michael is co-produced by Graham King alongside John McClain and John Branca who are executors of the Michael Jackson estate. 

Therefore ‘several key scenes’ are now ‘unusable and the film is under threat unless Universal agree to expensive reshoots, the publication claims.

Belloni said his sources are ‘confident and hopeful’ the issues will be resolved before the film’s October release. 

A source connected to the film told TMZ there will be reshoots in March but declined to comment on whether these will eliminate Chandler scenes.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for  Michael Jackson’s Estate, Universal, Fuqua and King for comment.

In 1993 Chandler won a reported $23million settlement from Jackson after his father Evan Chandler launched accusations that MJ Sєxually abused him at the age of 13. The singer was never charged over the allegations – pictured 1992

It was claimed that as part of the settlement the Jackson family signed with Chandler, they are prevented from ever dramatizing the Chandler family or the incident – Jaafar  pictured in the film

MJ faced trial in Santa Maria, California in 2005 in connection with claims of child Sєxual abuse, of which he was acquitted 

The movie also stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long in the roles of Jackson’s parents Joe and Katherine Jackson. Rounding out the cast include Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Larenz Tate and Jessica Sula.

The film is expected to cover all aspects of Jackson’s life and career, including his legal issues.

Lionsgate comedy Good Fortune which stars Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh and Keanu Reeves will debut October 17 2025. 

Read More Michael Jackson’s biopic Michael will be ‘the biggest movie we’ve ever had,’ studio exec predicts

Michael is garnering huge expectations from the studio.

‘I think that’ll be the biggest movie we’ve ever had,’ said Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer while speaking at a symposium for Gabelli Media & Entertainment Symposium, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Packer said that hype was high for the forthcoming film, which is which is directed by Antoine Fuqua.

‘The buzz that we’re getting every time a pH๏τo gets released is kind of crazy,’ Packer said of the motion picture, which comes on the heels of biopics about other musical icons such as Elvis Presley, Elton John and Freddie Mercury.

Packer said during the session that Lionsgate is going to focus on intellectual property and ‘produce [and] distribute film and TV’ projects.

Packer said Lionsgate is going to focus on intellectual property and ‘produce [and] distribute film and TV’ projects. 

Jaafar, who is the son of Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, has been busy in recent months with production on the motion picture.

He filmed scenes for the biopic last month in Los Angeles, recreating the iconic video for Thriller; in May in downtown Los Angeles; and in Encino, California in March.  

Jackson was pictured onstage on London in 1987 

A trailer for the film aired to a strong reaction in April at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Variety reported, as the preview was part of Lionsgate’s showcase to movie theater owners.

In the preview, a voice attributed to that of his mother Katherine Jackson could be heard telling her son, ‘There might be some people who think you’re different and that’s gonna make life a little harder for you.

‘But you never were like anyone else – Michael, you have a very special light – so make that light shine onto the world.’

A voice attributed to Michael Jackson is heard saying, ‘When I’m not onstage everything feels foreign to me.’

Ahead of the cinematic showcase, the film’s producer Graham King said the movie would be ‘an inside look at the most prolific artist who ever lived’ as ‘there are elements of drama, intrigue and emotional states.’

King said he’s been working on this film for seven years and conducted hundreds of interviews in an effort to get the best insights for the forthcoming project.

Jaafar showed he had nailed his late uncle’s signature dance moves as he posed on his toes, while clad in a black hat, suit and white top; Michael pictured in 1988

MJ also faced trial in Santa Barbara, California in 2005 in connection with separate claims of child Sєxual abuse, of which he was acquitted.

King said the film will ‘get into all of it,’ adding that ‘behind the unrelenting scrutiny and the accusations and the spotlight, he was simply a man – a man with a very complicated life.’

King said people told him he would be challenged to find an actor to fill the role, which he feels Jaafar has done splendidly.

‘When I started out, everyone said, “You’ll never find anyone to play him,”‘ King said.