Michael Jackson fans swarm Berlin for biopic premiere

US actor KeiLyn Durrel Jones, US actor Jaafar Jackson, US actress Nia Long, US actor Juliano Valdi and US actor Miles Teller pose for photogaphers as they arrive on the red carpet for the world premiere of the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" at the Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin on April 10, 2026.

(AFP)

Thousands of Michael Jackson fans descended on Berlin on Friday for the premiere of a new  biopic about the "King of Pop", undeterred by child sex abuse allegations that continue to  haunt the star. "Michael", in which the singer is portrayed by his nephew Jaafar Jackson, is expected to be  one of the highest-grossing films of its kind in history. In the queue for the screening, Andy Escobar, a 31-year-old aircraft mechanic from the United  States, said his nickname at school was MJ -- "because everybody knew that I was a Michael  Jackson fan". Asked about the child abuse allegations, Escobar said simply: "We know that's not true." "He was found not guilty," added Megane Kittler, a 31-year-old educator from France who  lives in Berlin. Only around 4,000 fans will actually be able to watch the film on Friday evening, two weeks  before its oficial release, after being allocated seats via prize draws. For the rest, there will be Michael Jackson-themed activities throughout the weekend including panel discussions with the film crew, an exhibition dedicated to the singer and  themed parties. Jackson, who died aged 50 in 2009 from an overdose of propofol, faced multiple allegations  of child sex abuse during his lifetime.

- Release pushed back -

Despite his 2005 acquittal in a criminal trial for child molestation, the star never managed to  restore his image while alive. Other alleged victims filed civil lawsuits after his death and several proceedings are ongoing.  The artist has never been convicted in a criminal or civil court. "Michael" was originally intended to explore the impact of the allegations on the star,  according to industry magazine Variety, citing unnamed sources "with knowledge of the  production". However, a third of the film was cut after lawyers for the Jackson estate realised there was a  clause in a settlement with one of the singer's accusers that barred any mention of him in a  film, the magazine said. As a result, large parts of the film had to be rewritten and the release -- originally scheduled  for April 18, 2025 -- was pushed back. Film studio Lionsgate is banking on making $700 million in global box office receipts for the  feature-length film.  That figure would far surpass other productions in the same genre except for the Freddie  Mercury-inspired "Bohemian Rhapsody", which took in $910 million. 

(AFP)