‘A false narrative around a paedophile’: Michael Jackson biopic criticised by Leaving Neverland director

‘They saying the reason Jackson liked children is because he’s an angel, not that he wanted to have sex with them’ … Leaving Neverland film-maker Dan Reed. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The Guardian

Michael, the recently released biopic of Michael Jackson, has been severely criticised by the director of Leaving Neverland, the 2019 documentary that chronicled claims against Jackson of child sexual abuse by Wade Robson and James Safechuck.

In an interview with Variety, Dan Reed, who was subject to death threats after Leaving Neverland was released, said: “What the movie does is creates a version of events that essentially portrays Wade, James and others who’ve accused Jackson of child sexual abuse as liars without actually articulating it.”