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It\u2019s hard to overstate just how monumental a pop star Michael Jackson was and the unparalleled impact he made on music. He broke barriers for Black artists, built one of the most devoted fan bases in history and created songs that continue to be a mainstay on airwaves and playlists more than a decade after his death. His once-in-a-lifetime voice and unmistakable dance moves defied preconceptions about what the human body can do, arguably overshadowing the considerable controversies in his private life.<\/p>\n
Jackson faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse over his lifetime, including a 1993 case<\/a> he settled out of court and a high-profile 2005 criminal trial<\/a> that ended in acquittal. In the years since his death, additional civil lawsuits have emerged<\/a> \u2014 some dismissed, others revived and ongoing \u2014 from people who claim that Jackson abused them as children. In 2026, members of the Cascio family, who once referred to themselves as Jackson\u2019s \u201csecond family,\u201d also filed suit against his estate<\/a>, alleging Jackson preyed upon them over the course of more than a decade.<\/p>\n Despite Michael\u2019s endlessly fraught legacy, there was clearly a public craving for a celebration of his artistry and incomparable impact on pop music. The Michael <\/em>biopic, released April 24, made $218 million at the global box office<\/a> in its opening weekend, a record-breaking number for the genre.<\/p>\n