Leaving Neverland Director Says Michael Jackson Was Worse Than Jeffrey Epstein — And Explains Why

With the Michael biopic revving up, Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed is back in the conversation — and he is not easing off. In a new interview, he levels fresh shots at the Jackson estate, the press, and the money orbiting Jackson’s legacy, while doubling down on the allegations at the center of his Emmy-winning documentary.

What Reed is saying

Reed told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Wednesday, April 22, that some outlets are going soft on the biopic because, in his view, criticizing Michael Jackson still invites sustained blowback from die-hard fans and the estate — and because Jackson’s IP is massively lucrative. He argues people will shrug off any unease and treat the movie as a big, shiny jukebox hit. He even compares Jackson unfavorably to Jeffrey Epstein — a heavy, incendiary comparison, given Epstein was a convicted sex offender who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Reed also says the film cannot be honest if it skips the most controversial part of Jackson’s story:

"How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?"

He adds that Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who accused Jackson of abuse in Leaving Neverland, have not profited from their claims, emphasizing that lawsuits do not pay out unless you win in court.

The HBO fight over Leaving Neverland

According to Reed, Jackson’s estate sued HBO over Leaving Neverland by pointing to a 1992 concert deal that he says included a sweeping non-disparagement clause — essentially, a promise the network would not air or host anything negative about Jackson, indefinitely. Reed says HBO settled out of court. The documentary has since been removed from HBO’s platform. The estate had previously called Leaving Neverland "a complete fiction" and "completely one-sided."

The longer, messier backstory

• 1993: After the LAPD opened an investigation into Jackson, he settled a civil lawsuit out of court. Jordan Chandler was to receive $15 million via a trust accessible at 18; his parents, June and Evan Chandler, were paid $1.5 million each. A grand jury declined to indict Jackson. He maintained his innocence.
• December 18, 2003: The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney charged Jackson with lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.
• June 2005: After 32 hours of deliberation over seven days, a jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges.
• 2009: Jackson died of an accidental overdose.
• 2019: HBO premiered Leaving Neverland, Reed’s four-hour documentary detailing Robson and Safechuck’s allegations. The film won an Emmy and drew fierce pushback from the estate.
• 2020: The Financial Times reported the Jackson estate quietly agreed to a $16.5 million settlement with a group of accusers who had threatened to come forward in 2019. Per that report, the estate also filed an arbitration claim alleging one accuser fabricated allegations in an attempt to obtain an additional $213 million.
• February (this year): The Cascio family sued the Jackson estate, alleging Jackson was a "serial child predator " and detailing claims of drugging and sexual assault beginning when some plaintiffs were as young as seven or eight. The estate called it a "desperate money grab" and "a transparent forum-shopping tactic" aimed at extracting hundreds of millions of dollars. On March 4, a judge granted the estate’s motion to send the dispute to arbitration.

Where the biopic stands

The new film, simply titled Michael, is moving forward — and, per a recent report, it even had to reshoot certain material because of a legal agreement with an accuser. That, plus Reed’s renewed broadside, makes the rollout anything but straightforward.

Outlets have reached out to the Jackson estate for comment on Reed’s latest claims and the related litigation.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. For help regarding child abuse, call or text Childhelp at 1-800-422-4453.