The Nine Network is home to a forthcoming four-part Michael Jackson documentary series, and today, the premiere date has been confirmed.
Variety Australia reports that The Michael Jackson Story is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, 24 May, at 8 pm on Channel 9 and the Nine Network’s streaming service, 9Now. The first two episodes will air on Sunday evening.
Last month, Nine acquired the broadcasting rights to the documentary from Fremantle. The Michael Jackson Story was produced by 72 Films (It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley) and has been described as the “definitive, in-depth” examination of the King of Pop: a larger-than-life cultural figure whose career was marked by controversies.
The documentary reportedly had access to “rare, intimate archive material,” TV Tonight notes, as well as interviews with Jackson’s family and peers—his sister La Toya Jackson, singer Dionne Warwick, manager Dieter Wiesner, bodyguard Bill Whitfield, family attorney Brian Oxman, and prosecutor Ron Zonen all feature in the documentary.
The BBC commissioned the documentary series. It aired in the UK last month under the title, Michael Jackson: An American Tragedy. You can watch the documentary teaser (billed as Michael Jackson: An American Tragedy) below.
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In a statement, Mark Reynolds, Fremantle’s Global Head of Documentaries and Factual, described Michael Jackson’s story as “a complex tale of fame, family and legacy” and hinted that the series wouldn’t just follow his rise to fame, but also “the controversies that surrounded him later in life.”
“We’re excited to be partnering with such an exceptional group of global broadcasters to introduce ‘The Michael Jackson Story’ to the world,” Reynolds said, per Variety US.
Reynolds continued, “It’s a complex tale of fame, family and legacy, exploring the extraordinary rise of the King of Pop and the controversies that surrounded him later in life. The team at 72 Films have approached this story with remarkable insight and care and offers audiences a unique glimpse into moments of Jackson’s life that are rarely shared.”
Fremantle called the documentary a “deeply researched study” about a trailblazing musical artist who’s also a “complex enigma.”
Adding that the four-part series provides a “comprehensive examination” of Jackson’s life, the television production company also said it examines how the Michael Jackson estate “continues to generate billions of dollars from his art, and how his legacy sits within the cultural landscape today.”
Last month, the new biopic, Michael – with the singer’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role – landed in cinemas. It was released with the blessing of the Michael Jackson estate, with the production company Lionsgate having the rights to the performer’s discography.
