'He’s a Monster': Major Controversies That Have Erupted Since Michael Jackson Biopic Release

Ever since the recent release of the biopic Michael, the film has ignited fierce debate over how Michael Jackson’s legacy is being portrayed on screen.

In addition, it has also brought fresh spotlight over child abuse allegations surrounding Jackson.

While the biopic celebrates the pop star’s meteoric rise to fame and groundbreaking musical influence, critics argued that the film deliberately sidesteps the most controversial chapters of his life.

Many people thus accused the production of “whitewashing” the reality, since Jackson's family had creative control over the biopic.

Ahead of the release of Jackson's biopic, the Cascio family filed a lawsuit against the pop star in February 2026.

The Cascio siblings recently sat for an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, where they made shocking allegations against Jackson.

The four siblings -- Eddie, Aldo, Dominic and Marie-Nicole Cascio -- claimed Jackson s*xually abused them when they were children after gaining their family’s trust with gifts, luxury trips and celebrity access.

They also accused him of giving them drugs and alcohol.

“He’s a monster, he’s evil, what he did was evil. And he’s tricked the whole world to think he’s this innocent, perfect human being, and he’s not,” Dominic said.

The siblings further noted how Jackson would take them on trips on his private jets.

They stated that the pop star would take them on world tours and introduce them to famous people and diplomats, while allegedly abusing them at the homes of Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John.

Eddie said, “He made us feel like we were his family, his kids, his everything.”

“My parents were young. For them to have such a big celebrity want to be friends with them… they definitely felt special, and so did we,” he added.

However, according to Eddie, things changed when he was 11 -- during the 1993 Dangerous tour.

“That’s when my world started to change. We were on tour, and that’s when Michael started to get closer and started rubbing me on my legs. I was sitting on his lap, and that’s when the first kiss happened, where he kissed me on the lips,” Eddie alleged.

Meanwhile, Marie-Nicole alleged that when she was 12, Jackson would undress her and m*sturbate while looking at her.

Further, the youngest sibling, Aldo, claimed the singer molested him during childhood sleepovers and video game sessions.

The whole lawsuit and bombshell revelation from the Cascio family emerged in the wake of the Jackson biopic.

The family filed the lawsuit and sat for the interview following the release of the film.

However, they aren't the only ones calling out the late singer. Previously, Jordan Chandler accused Jackson of s*xually abusing him in 1993.

In 2005, Gavin Arvizo accused Jackson of molestation, followed by Wade Robson and James Safechuckʼs 2019 allegations made in the HBO documentary, Leaving Neverland.

After the release of his biopic, critics slammed the film for ignoring these allegations against Jackson.

The director and Jackson's family's decision to leave out the allegations that made him such a complex and divisive figure, is what sparked controversies surrounding Michael.

Following this, reports emerged about the film undergoing significant reshoots.

According to Variety, the film initially included allegations that shadowed Jackson’s later life.

However, legal agreements connected to past settlements meant that certain individuals and events could not be depicted in the film, thus leading to reshoots.

Further, while Jackson's estate was involved in the production process, not every member of his family oversaw the same.

In fact, his daughter Paris Jackson's lack of involvement sparked concerns surrounding the possibility of the film showing a partial version of certain events.

Yet, since its release on April 24, Michael has already become a staggering success, earning $581 million worldwide against its $155 million budget, according to The Numbers.

Earning $241 million domestically and $339 million in the global market, the movie surpassed the collections of Elvis.