We're offering a 2-week trial of WrapPRO for $1. If you’ve been wanting to check out our full coverage, now’s the time. "Michael" is in theaters now and is expected to open huge this weekend — it has already grossed $12.6 million from preview screenings. But, as our Drew Taylor and Umberto Gonzalez writes, the more interesting tale is the back story of how Michael Jackson's story came to life in this film. It came down to a legal catalyst: a clause in a settlement with one of the accusers threw the film in chaos. Because the person couldn't legally be depicted onscreen, the film had to be rewritten and reshot after producers had to lop off the third act. The result is a film that seems to end as Jackson begins to ascend, with little mention of any controversy or the last 20 years of his life, something critics couldn't ignore. "'Michael' exists in a vacuum that obliterates vital context and important people," our William Bibbiani said in his review. Was it worth the trouble? Considering the projections are for this to break the record for a music biopic weekend — with a stretch goal of surpassing the $82.4 million tally of "Oppenheimer" to become the highest opening for any biopic — anyone in the business of Hollywood would say absolutely. As Taylor and Gonzalez writes, Michael makes it perfectly clear that Jackson's legacy as a man has been eclipsed by his continued sustainability as a brand. The film even has what is effectively a tease for a sequel, with distributors Lionsgate and Universal looking to create a franchise out of the King of Pop. From that perspective, offering a deeper and more nuanced look at the life of Michael Jackson, which include the allegations of sex abuse, can take a backseat to making the film includes all of the artists' biggest hits, with the music likely doing the heavy lifting to make sure audiences have a rocking good time. With that, I hope you all get some rest this weekend. We've got a busy week of earnings coming up. Roger Cheng Before we move on, be sure to follow me on my socials linked below for the latest updates. DMs are open for tips.    
How thorny was the situation? Director Antoine Fuqua, screenwriter John Logan and Lionsgate had to reconfigure the film and undertake $15 million of reshoots after scrapping their entire third act... 
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