The rehearsal footage of the late Michael Jackson's once-planned 50-date concert series "This Is It" will be coming to a theater near you October 30th. Culled from hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes and rehearsal footage shot at Los Angeles' Staples Center, the film will show Jackson's concert preparations with portions of the movie viewable in 3-D (as was planned for the actual concerts) also featuring interviews with Jackson's friends and collaborators.
The approval of this movie deal came from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff this past Friday and announced today. Michael's estate overseen by the executors of his will, lawyer John Branca and music industry executive John McClain; concert promoter AEG Live; and Sony Corp.'s Columbia Pictures had been ironing out the details in court last week with Judge Beckloff allowing Michael's mother Katherine Jackson to review the contracts and raise any possible objections. She didn't protest the film's release but she and her lawyers question many issues on merchandising deals with merchandiser Bravado and want AEG Live to give its concert rehearsal footage to the estate.
More drama follows...
Howard Weitzman, an attorney for Jackson's estate overseers (lawyer for the lawyers?), said that Mrs. Jackson's team's suggestions are "not acceptable" and that the contracts were aggressively negotiated and that there was little room to strike a better deal. Weitzman says, "We feel that we're being second-guessed. I'm not sure why." To Mrs. Jackson's team's objections, Bravado would receive worldwide rights to Jackson merchandise with items like trading cards, clothing, and cell phone themes. Judge Beckloff is considering appointing an attorney to represent Michael's children's interests in the deals.
Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for AEG Live, responds to concert footage being given to the estate with the words: "Under no circumstances would AEG agree to such a thing." The estate wants to enter into agreements with AEG Live and Bravado over merchandising rights.
Columbia Pictures paid $60 million for rights to the movie and the contract says that Jackson's estate is supposed to receive 90% of its profits. The contract also states that the footage will have to be screened by Jackson's estate and cannot include any footage that puts the performer in a bad light.
The "This Is It" concert series was set to begin July 13th before Jackson's sudden death of an announced heart attack on June 25th. He had just practiced at rehearsal the night before only complaining of larynigitis which pushed the rehearsal back to 9PM (and he performed well past midnight).
Thanks to the Associated Press.
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