Michael Jackson biopic to come alive on Lifetime

Channel Lifetime is reportedly planning a biopic on the late king of pop Michael Jackson, tentatively titled Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland.

Currently in pre-production, the TV movie will begin filming in February here, reports aceshowbiz.com. 

The project is based on 2014’s book ‘Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days’, which was co-authored by two of Jackson’s bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard. 

The book chronicles the singer’s final years through Whitfield and Beard’s lens while protecting the superstar and his family. It also details their time of solace and the singer’s death. The King of Pop died at the age of 50 in 2009, when he was rehearsing for the comeback shows. 

Navi, who is considered as the world’s most prominent Jackson’s impersonator, will star in the film. He is joined by ‘The Walking Dead’ alum Chad L. Coleman, who will star as Jackson’s bodyguard Whitfield. 

Suzanne de Passe, who has a long-standing relationship with Jackson’s family, will produce Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland alongside Madison Jones and Robert Teitel. The TV movie will be directed by Diane Houston while Elizabeth Hunter will pen its script. 

Final weeks of Jackson’s life is also set to be the subject of a television series which is in development at Warner Bros. Based on Tavis Smiley’s 2016 book titled ‘Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson’s Last Days’, the project will recount the final 16 weeks of the singer’s life. 

The pop star, who died on June 25, 2009, made some of his biggest hits including, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Dangerous,’ ‘Black or White’, ‘Thriller’, ‘Beat It’, ‘You’re Not Alone’, ‘Heal The World’, ‘They Don’t Care About Us’, ‘Human Nature’, ‘Give It To Me’, ‘Love Never Felt So Good’, ‘Earth Sonmg’, ‘We Are The World’, ‘Dirty Diana’, among others.