Acclaimed director Spike Lee has weighed in on the highly anticipated Michael — and he’s making it clear he supports the film’s approach.
Lee, who previously collaborated with Michael Jackson and directed the music video for “They Don’t Care About Us,” revealed he has already watched the biopic twice.
Why the Film Leaves Out Controversy
One of the biggest talking points surrounding Michael is its decision not to address the child abuse allegations that were made against the late singer.
But Lee defended that choice, pointing to the film’s timeline.
“But the movie ends in ’88,” he said. “And the stuff you’re talking about… happened later.”
He added that critics expecting those elements may be misunderstanding the structure of the story:
“So you’re critiquing the film on something that you want in, but it doesn’t work in the timeline of the film.”
A Director With Close Ties to Jackson
Lee isn’t just any filmmaker commenting from the outside.
In addition to directing one of Jackson’s most iconic music videos, he has also created documentaries about the singer — giving him a deeper perspective on both his career and legacy.
That connection appears to influence his view that the biopic should be judged based on what period of Jackson’s life it actually covers, rather than what it leaves out.
Ongoing Debate Around the Biopic
The Michael has already sparked debate online, with some viewers questioning whether it should include the more controversial chapters of Jackson’s life.
Others, like Lee, argue that a focused timeline allows the film to tell a clearer story without trying to cover everything at once.
As anticipation builds ahead of its release, the discussion around how the King of Pop’s story should be told shows no sign of slowing down.
