Critics at Large | The New Yorker What “Michael” Tries to Show—or Hide
9 snips
Apr 30, 2026 
Kelefa Sanneh, a New Yorker staff writer and pop-music critic, unpacks Michael Jackson’s rise and the new biopic. He discusses why Jackson still draws crowds. He explores how the film’s scope was shaped by the estate and how it sidesteps abuse allegations. He considers the emotional power of early footage and the dissonance with more critical portrayals.
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Public Hunger For Michael's Music
- Michael Jackson's film success shows continued public hunger to celebrate his music and experience it loudly in theaters.
- Kelefa Sanneh notes pent-up demand from younger listeners who know hits but lacked recent opportunities to celebrate them in cinemas.
Estate Deal Cut The Story Short
- The estate's licensing deal forced Antoine Fuqua's Michael to stop before the 1993 allegations and reshape the film's scope.
- Kelefa Sanneh explains an agreement barred depiction of the settled accusation, so new footage ends the film in the late 1980s.
Avoidance Feels Like A Defense
- The movie avoids later allegations by framing Michael as saintly and explaining his friendships with children as innocence, which critics read as exculpatory.
- Vinson Cunningham found this defensive framing 'sinister' and said it groomed viewers into disbelief of accusations.
