Michael Jackson’s Relative Calls Out Media as Biopic Opens: “You Don’t Get to Control the Narrative Anymore”

A member of Michael Jackson’s family is taking aim at the media in the lead-up to Lionsgate‘s biopic launching this weekend.

Michael hits theaters and Imax on Friday and stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in his feature debut as the pop music icon. Colman Domingo portrays the singer’s father, Joe Jackson, while Nia Long plays his mother, Katherine. Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, Kat Graham, Larenz Tate and Derek Luke round out the cast for director Antoine Fuqua‘s movie that tells the story of Michael Jackson‘s upbringing and rise to fame, with the film’s narrative ending in the 1980s.

Taj Jackson, a musician and producer whose father is Michael Jackson’s brother Tito Jackson, took to social media Tuesday to chide the media over its coverage of the late music superstar. Michael Jackson’s Grammy-winning career included not only 1982’s Thriller, which remains the best-selling album of all time, and such enduring hits as “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” but also a number of scandals and legal issues.

“Sorry media, u don’t get to control the narrative anymore of who Michael Jackson truly was,” Taj Jackson wrote on X. “The public gets to watch this movie…they will decide for themselves. And you can’t handle that.”

In a follow-up post, he added, “Can’t wait till some critics have to eat crow. And yes I will be that petty.”

Michael is set to make plenty of noise at the box office as it heads for a domestic opening that is likely to surpass $65 million. The critical response has been more muted, as the film currently holds a 36 percent approval rating from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. In his Michael review for The Hollywood Reporter, chief film critic David Rooney called the feature “surprisingly affecting” and also noted, “The film leaves itself open to accusations of making Michael a saint, which will not sit well with the cancel crowd.”

THR previously reported that an initial, longer version of the movie was set to feature scenes showing the star dealing with child sexual abuse allegations. The third act included a portrayal of an accuser whose past settlement with the performer’s estate stipulated that he would never be dramatized, leading the film to be retooled. A second movie focusing on the latter portion of Jackson’s life prior to his 2009 death has been in development from Lionsgate.

Taj Jackson has been a vocal defender of his uncle’s legacy and previously spoke out about the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which centered on two individuals who had accused Michael Jackson of abusing them as children. At that time, Taj Jackson called the allegations false and defamatory.