Fred RiversJaafar Jackson makes his feature film debut as his uncle Michael Jackson on 23 April 2026, when the long-awaited biographical film Michael arrives in Australian cinemas — bringing renewed attention to some of the most complex and contested entertainment law and estate disputes in modern music history.
The Film and the Family Behind It
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by three-time Academy Award nominee John Logan, Michael has been one of the most closely watched film projects in recent years. Jaafar Jackson — son of Michael's brother Jermaine — was selected to portray the King of Pop after an extensive search. The cast also includes Miles Teller as entertainment lawyer John Branca, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.
The film arrives in Australia as part of its international release through Universal Pictures, and it is expected to perform strongly with Australian audiences, many of whom grew up with Michael Jackson's music. But beyond the spectacle of the biopic itself, Michael touches on legal and commercial territory that lawyers and estate planners deal with in the real world: who controls an artist's legacy, how royalties flow after death, and what happens when a deceased celebrity's estate becomes one of the most valuable in the world.
The Michael Jackson Estate: A Masterclass in Complexity
Michael Jackson died intestate — without a publicly filed will — in Los Angeles on 25 June 2009. The legal battles that followed illustrate precisely why estate planning for high-value individuals, particularly those with significant intellectual property assets, requires careful professional management.
At the time of his death, Jackson's estate was valued at approximately USD $500 million — though that figure was heavily disputed in subsequent tax proceedings with the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS initially claimed the estate was worth over USD $1.1 billion; the estate argued a far lower valuation. After years of litigation, the US Tax Court reached a partial ruling in 2021 reducing the IRS's assessment substantially. The case remains a landmark in estate valuation disputes involving celebrity intellectual property.
According to IP Australia, the Australian Government's intellectual property authority, the rights to music — including master recordings, songwriting royalties and performance rights — can persist for decades after a creator's death. In Australia, copyright in most works lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. Managing these rights after death, and ensuring they are correctly documented in estate planning, is a specialised legal task.
What Australian Entertainers and Creators Need to Know
The Jackson estate saga offers several lessons that apply to Australian artists, musicians, content creators and anyone whose work generates ongoing royalty income.
1. Know who owns your masters. Jackson famously sold the publishing rights to most of his own songs and later purchased the ATV Music Publishing catalogue — which included the rights to a large portion of the Beatles' catalogue. Many Australian artists and creators do not have full ownership of their master recordings; understanding this before you die is critical, because what you can leave to your family depends entirely on what you legally own.
2. Update your will when your assets change significantly. A will drafted early in a career may not reflect the true scope of assets accumulated later. Any acquisition of intellectual property, equity stakes, or ongoing royalty streams warrants a review of existing estate documents with a lawyer who understands IP.
3. Establish clear governance for your estate. The Jackson estate has been managed by co-executors John Branca and John McClain since 2009 — both with deep entertainment industry expertise. For Australian artists with significant catalogs, the choice of executor matters enormously. An executor who does not understand the commercial entertainment landscape may fail to maximise the estate's value or make costly licensing errors.
4. Consider a trust structure for ongoing IP revenue. Intellectual property that generates royalties beyond the creator's death is well-suited to management through a properly structured trust. In Australia, a testamentary trust — created through a will and activated upon death — can provide significant tax advantages for beneficiaries receiving income from an estate, particularly where royalty streams are substantial and ongoing.
5. Address image rights and likeness. In some countries, celebrities have explicit "right of publicity" protections that survive death. Australia does not have a freestanding personality rights law, but related protections exist through trade mark law, consumer law (misleading conduct) and passing off. Artists who have strong personal brands should discuss with a lawyer how to protect their name, image and likeness from unauthorised commercial use after they are gone.
The Biopic Rights Question
The production of Michael itself raises interesting legal questions. Biographical films about real people — particularly deceased ones — sit in a legal grey zone in Australia. While the film has the backing of the Jackson estate and family cooperation, other biographical works have faced legal challenges from estates claiming copyright infringement, false light defamation or breach of personality rights.
For Australian filmmakers, documentary producers and authors creating work about real individuals, understanding these risks is essential. A lawyer with entertainment industry experience can help identify potential claims early and structure productions to minimise legal exposure.
On ExpertZoom, Australian-based lawyers who specialise in intellectual property, entertainment law and estate planning are available for consultations. Whether you are an artist managing your own creative legacy, or a producer navigating the rights landscape for a new project, expert legal advice can protect both your current work and your future estate.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Estate planning involving intellectual property requires specialist legal guidance. Consult a qualified lawyer for advice specific to your circumstances.
