Taj Jackson Speaks Out Against Media Ahead of ‘Michael’ Premiere

With the release of the new Michael just around the corner, attention has shifted to public reactions from people connected to the Jackson family. One of Michael Jackson’s nephews has now spoken out strongly on social media, targeting how the media has been handling coverage of the film.

Taj Jackson, the son of Tito Jackson, used the platform X to share his thoughts in a series of posts. His comments were focused on what he believes is long-standing media influence over Michael Jackson’s public image.

He argued that this influence is no longer as strong and said audiences will now make their own judgment once the film is released. In one post, he wrote, “The media can no longer control the narrative anymore of who Michael Jackson truly was. The public gets to watch this movie… they will decide for themselves,” followed by, “And you can’t handle that.”

The biopic is directed by Antoine Fuqua and is supported by the Jackson estate. It follows Michael Jackson’s life starting from his childhood as part of the Jackson 5 and continues through his rise to global fame, focusing mainly on his peak years in the 1980s.

At one point during development, the film included plans to extend the story into later events from the 1990s. That part was changed after legal issues linked to past agreements involving the estate created restrictions. This led to a rewritten ending and additional reshoots that increased production time and costs.

The film has also been closely watched for its box office expectations. Early reports suggest strong opening numbers are expected, with major worldwide earnings predicted. However, early critical response has been less positive, with the film currently holding a low score on review aggregation sites.

Taj Jackson also responded to critics, saying, “Can’t wait ‘till some critics have to eat crow,” and added, “And yes I will be that petty.”

All of this is happening just before the film reaches theaters, adding more attention and debate around its release.

This situation shows how emotional biopics can become, especially when real families and public opinion are involved. It will be interesting to see how audiences react once they actually watch the film. What do you think about Taj Jackson’s comments and the upcoming release? Share your thoughts in the comments.