Died in 2009, the famous singer Michael Jackson will be entitled to his biopic! The latter will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, director of Training Day, Equalizer and the recent Emancipation with Will Smith.
The life of Michael Jackson, one of the most adored artists in the world, will be brought to the screen! According to Deadline, Antoine Fuqua, to whom we owe Training Day and the Equalizer saga, will be responsible for the production of this biopic soberly titled Michael.
The script will be signed John Logan, a great Hollywood feather who has notably collaborated with Martin Scorsese (Aviator, Hugo Cabret) and Sam Mendes (Skyfall, 007 Spectre). In addition, the film will be produced by the Lionsgate studio and Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody).
The latter, who transformed the course of Freddie Mercury into a blockbuster that broke the house, will he do the same with Michael Jackson? Bohemian Rhapsody, which occulted certain dark parts of the life of the leader of Queen, had not been unanimous from this point of view.
Will this feature film on Michael Jackson take the same direction, ignoring the legal setbacks of the King of Pop? Indeed, the artist was accused of pedophilia in the 1990s and acquitted in 2005 after a trial that made headlines.
The singer died in 2009 while preparing for his comeback on stage. Note that the film should tell the rise of the king of pop, from his beginnings in the Jackson Five until his death at the age of 50. We do not yet know the actor who will play the artist at the famous moonwalk. A heavy task indeed.
Lionsgate Chairman Joe Drake is delighted to have handed over the reins of the project to Antoine Fuqua. “We feel very lucky that he has chosen Michael as his next project. His talents and commitment to his craft will make Michael an unforgettable film.”enthused Joe Drake.
Although the filmmaker has become the action film specialist with the Equalizer franchise, The Fall of the White House or The Magnificent 7, it is not surprising to see Fuqua at the head of this project. He began his career by shooting clips for Prince, Lil’ Wayne, Toni Braxton or Stevie Wonder, before breaking into the cinema with Training Day in 2001.
“The first films of my career were music videos, and I still feel that the combination of cinema and music is an integral part of who I am”said the director.
For me, no artist has the power, the charisma and the pure musical genius of Michael Jackson.
“For me, no artist has the power, the charisma and the pure musical genius of Michael Jackson. He influenced me a lot when I started working on music videos. He was the first black artist to have been broadcast on repeat on MTV. His music and images are part of my view of the world, and the opportunity to tell his story on screen alongside his music was irresistible.”confided the director.
Before taking charge of Michael, Antoine Fuqua will direct Equalizer 3, the latest installment in the action saga carried by Denzel Washington. The filmmaker also stood out last December with Emancipation, a heartbreaking feature film on slavery with Will Smith, available on Apple TV+.
Note that biopic projects on legendary singers still have a bright future ahead of them. After the successes of Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Amy Winehouse or Bob Marley will also be entitled to their films.
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