It is 2026, and we are still arguing about the glove.
Seriously. You’d think that decades after the trial and years after his death, we would have a unified verdict on Michael Jackson. But no. If you spend five minutes on any streaming service, you’ll find a documentary on Michael Jackson that either paints him as a literal saint or a calculating monster. There is no middle ground. It’s polarising. It’s messy.
Honestly, the "MJ Documentary" has become its own sub-genre of film. You have the estate-sanctioned celebrations of his genius, like Spike Lee’s Bad 25 or the more recent Thriller 40. Then, you have the sledgehammers. The films that don't just ask questions—they demand you burn your Off the Wall vinyl.
The Leaving Neverland Earthquake
When Dan Reed dropped Leaving Neverland in 2019, it felt like a cultural reset. People weren't just watching a movie; they were undergoing a collective trauma.
The film focused entirely on Wade Robson and James Safechuck. It was four hours long. Four hours of two grown men sitting on a couch, describing, in excruciating detail, how they were allegedly groomed and abused at the height of Jackson's fame. It won an Emmy. It also started a war.
If you haven't seen it, the vibe is heavy. It doesn't use the usual documentary tropes—there are no "experts" or talking heads from Rolling Stone. It’s just them. Their families. Their pain. Critics called it a masterpiece of brave filmmaking. Fans called it a "public lynching."
But here is the thing: the documentary didn't actually "cancel" MJ.
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His streaming numbers actually went up after the release. It’s weird, right? You’d think a four-hour exposé would tank an artist's career, but Jackson is apparently "too big to fail." While radio stations in places like Quebec or New Zealand pulled his music for a few weeks, the "King of Pop" stayed on his throne.
The 2025/2026 Wave: Surviving Michael Jackson and the Cascio Case
Just when we thought the dust had settled, the legal battles flared up again.
Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson hit screens recently (specifically in March 2025), following Robson and Safechuck’s ten-year slog through the California court system. It’s a dry film compared to the first one. It’s mostly Zoom hearings and lawyers in expensive suits arguing about "statutes of limitations."
But the real kicker happened just this month, January 2026.
The Cascio siblings—Frank, Aldo, and Marie—are currently in a Beverly Hills courtroom. For years, the Cascios were Jackson’s biggest defenders. Frank even wrote a book called My Friend Michael. Now? They are alleging they were also victims. They are trying to overturn a 2020 settlement with the estate, claiming they were pressured into silence.
The documentary footage coming out of these recent hearings is wild. Aldo Cascio filed a declaration saying Michael used to make him hide when his own criminal defense lawyers, like Mark Geragos, showed up at the house.
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What the "Estate Docs" Get Right (and Wrong)
On the flip side, we have the "pro-Michael" films.
If you want to understand why people still love him, you have to watch Michael Jackson's This Is It. Directed by Kenny Ortega, it’s basically a high-def rehearsal reel. You see a 50-year-old man who can still out-dance anyone in the room. He's a perfectionist. He's kind to his crew. He's... Michael.
Then there are the "Truth" documentaries.
- Square One (2019)
- Neverland Firsthand
- The Real Story of Michael Jackson
These films are basically the "rebuttal" to HBO. They dive into the 1993 allegations, the 2005 trial, and the inconsistencies in the accusers' stories. They argue that Michael was a target for extortion because of his massive wealth.
The 2024 film Thriller 40 is a different beast entirely. It ignores the drama. It focuses on the kick drum, the short films, and the way Thriller literally broke the racial barrier on MTV. It reminds us that Michael wasn't just a celebrity; he was an architect of modern culture.
A Quick Comparison of the "Big" Films
| Film Title | Focus | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving Neverland | Abuse allegations (Robson/Safechuck) | Devastating, Graphic |
| This Is It | Final concert rehearsals | Inspirational, Energetic |
| Bad 25 | The making of the Bad album | Educational, Professional |
| Square One | Defense of Jackson | Investigative, Sceptical |
| Thriller 40 | The 1982 cultural phenomenon | Nostalgic, Celebratory |
Why Every Documentary on Michael Jackson Fails to Give Closure
The problem with any documentary on Michael Jackson is that the director usually has an agenda before the first frame is shot.
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If you’re Dan Reed, you want to show how a predator operates. If you’re Spike Lee, you want to celebrate a Black icon. If you’re the Jackson Estate, you want to protect a billion-dollar brand.
And then there's the 2026 biopic, Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua. It’s not a documentary, but it’s the most anticipated MJ project in years. It stars Jaafar Jackson (Michael’s nephew). The estate is involved, which has led critics like Dan Reed to call it "propaganda." But the producers claim they aren't "sanitizing" the story. We'll see.
Navigating the Noise
If you’re trying to find "the truth," you kind of have to watch all of them. You can't just watch Leaving Neverland and think you know the whole story. And you can't just watch This Is It and pretend the 2005 trial never happened.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. It’s in the space between the genius who wrote "Billie Jean" and the man who lived a life so isolated and strange that he lost touch with reality.
Actionable Steps for the Curious Viewer
- Vetter your sources: If a documentary is produced by "MJJ Productions," expect a tribute. If it’s produced by someone who has sued the estate, expect an exposé.
- Read the 2005 Trial Transcripts: Honestly, documentaries are edited for drama. The court transcripts are where the actual evidence (and lack thereof) lives.
- Watch "Living with Michael Jackson" (2003): This is the Martin Bashir interview that started it all. It’s the rawest footage of MJ’s actual personality we have.
- Separate the art from the artist (if you can): Many people find it impossible to listen to his music now. Others think the art belongs to the world, not the man. There’s no wrong answer here, just your personal comfort level.
The Michael Jackson story isn't over. With the Cascio trial currently unfolding in 2026 and the Fuqua biopic hitting IMAX screens soon, we are about to enter yet another cycle of MJ mania. Whether he's a villain or a victim depends entirely on which camera lens you're looking through.