Dan Reed, the director of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, has sparked fresh controversy by stating that Michael Jackson was "worse than Jeffrey Epstein." In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Reed criticized the new Michael Jackson biopic Michael for failing to address the child sexual abuse allegations against the late pop star.
Reed's 2019 documentary featured interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who claimed Jackson sexually abused them as children. The biopic, directed by Antoine Fuqua, reportedly removed all references to the allegations during reshoots that cost Jackson's estate an estimated $15 million. According to Variety, the original script included a third act exploring Jackson's response to multiple accusations, but a clause in a settlement with accuser Jordan Chandler barred his depiction.
Reed argued that the film's omission sends a troubling message. "It says that people don't care that he was a child molester," he said. "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?" He suggested that only explicit video evidence would convince some fans, adding that many prioritize Jackson's music over the allegations.
Fuqua had previously questioned the motives of the accusers, noting that "sometimes people do some nasty things for some money." Reed dismissed this as ironic, accusing the film's team of profiting from Jackson's legacy. "If anyone's making money, it's Michael Jackson's estate and the people who worked on this biographical picture," he said. "The accusers have never made a cent from their accusations."
Reed also criticized the media for "sucking up to the Jackson machine," claiming that the estate and fan base stifle criticism with "invective and smears." He concluded that Jackson's behavior was comparable to that of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but public apathy allows the narrative to be sanitized.
Jackson's estate has consistently denied the abuse allegations. In a 2005 criminal trial, Robson testified that he had not been abused, and Safechuck made similar statements. NME's review of the biopic noted that it "feels like a job well done: a slick, accessible advert for Jackson's incredible imperial phase," but questioned the absence of the abuse narrative.