Leaving Neverland is a new two-part documentary that follows two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck (now in their thirties), who say they were sexually abused in the 1990s by Michael Jackson. The four-hour documentary debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25. The film was met with statements from the Jackson Estate (who called it “a tabloid character assassination”) and Jackson’s family (who called Robson and Safechuck “perjurers” and the film a “public lynching”).
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s Tatiana Siegel published today, Leaving Neverland director and producer Dan Reed (whose previous projects include The Paedophile Hunter and Three Days of Terror: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks) has responded to the estate and family’s criticisms.
“A four-hour piece, is that a tabloid,” Reed said. “I didn’t characterize Jackson at all in the film—I think if you watch it you'll have noticed that it’s a story about these two families and Jackson is an element of that story.” Reed claimed that the film isn’t about Jackson, saying it’s “an account of sexual abuse, how sexual abuse happens and then how the consequences play out later in life.”
“They have a very precious asset to protect,” Reed said in response to the family and estate’s statements. “Every time a song plays, a cash register goes ‘ka-ching.’ It doesn’t surprise me that they've come out fighting in defense of their asset.” Reed also said that he doesn’t believe the family have seen his film. “Their statements are not consistent with having watched the movie,” Reed said. Read the full interview.
Leaving Neverland will premiere on HBO and the UK’s Channel 4 this spring.
