Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for a new docuseries examining Michael Jackson's notorious 2005 criminal trial, arriving just weeks after the late singer's biopic shattered box office records while drawing intense criticism for excluding his child abuse allegations.
The Trial and the Docuseries
In 2003, the King of Pop faced multiple counts of child molestation involving 13-year-old cancer patient Gavin Arvizo, culminating in a high-profile trial two years later where Jackson was ultimately acquitted. The upcoming series, Michael Jackson: The Verdict, delves into the case from both prosecution and defense perspectives, featuring interviews with jurors, media figures, and other key individuals present in the courtroom. Set to premiere on the streaming platform on June 3, the docuseries arrives as the Jackson biopic continues to generate substantial revenue in theaters following its release last month.
The three-part series trailer opens with police searching Jackson's Neverland Ranch, accompanied by a voiceover stating: "He's the most famous man in the world, being accused of the most heinous crime in the world." It then shows footage of Jackson waving to supportive fans outside the courthouse, along with court drawings of his accusers providing testimony. Interspersed are clips from new interviews with trial participants, including jurors. One juror explains their verdict reasoning: "What has to be proven is beyond a reasonable doubt. Can you doubt that happened?"
The trailer also highlights the media frenzy surrounding the trial and a shot of Macaulay Culkin arriving to testify on Jackson's behalf. Culkin, whose friendship with Jackson began when he was just 10, has publicly stated that Jackson never harmed him. The trailer concludes with Jackson appealing to the public: "Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court."
Showrunner David Herman, who also executive produces alongside Fiona Stourton and James Goldston, with Nick Green directing all episodes, stated that revisiting the trial's lingering questions was timely. "It has been 20 years since the trial of Michael Jackson in which he was found not guilty. Yet, to this day, controversy still rages," they told Tudum. "No cameras were allowed in court, and so the public's view of the facts at the time were filtered by commentators and presented piecemeal. It was time to take a forensic look at the trial as a whole."
Biopic Controversy
The biopic Michael, starring Jackson's real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, chronicles his life from the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to his early solo career. Despite breaking box office records with global earnings of $703.9 million, the film has faced significant backlash for omitting all abuse allegations that began in 1993 and persisted after Jackson's death in 2009. Critics have panned the sanitized portrayal, with Michael earning a dismal 35 percent "rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film originally included the 1993 allegations, but after legal pushback from Jackson's estate citing a settlement agreement clause, producers were forced to reshoot the third act at a cost of $10 to $15 million.
Director Antoine Fuqua defended his approach, saying: "Just to tell the facts as we know it, about the artist, about the man, about the human being. You know, the good, bad, and the ugly." However, Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed slammed the omission, stating: "How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?"
Jackson's own family members have distanced themselves from the biopic. His daughter Paris called the script "dishonest" and a "fantasy," while his sister Janet Jackson was reportedly "very critical" after a private screening and refused to participate. Other siblings, including Randy and Jermaine, are also absent from the film. Despite the controversy, Michael has become Lionsgate's best debut since the pandemic, surpassing Oppenheimer's opening weekend.
Timing and Reception
Many viewers noted the strategic timing of the docuseries release, coming shortly after the biopic's debut. Comments on the trailer included: "Netflix ain't slick, the timing is so obvious" and "releasing this while Michael is still in theatre is wild." The docuseries aims to provide a comprehensive look at the trial, focusing on eyewitness accounts and courtroom dynamics, offering a counterpoint to the biopic's selective narrative.
