Michael Jackson’s family is fuming over “This Is It” — fearing the movie is “propaganda” for promoters trying to prove Jacko was healthy enough to perform 50 concerts.
The film, to be released on Oct. 28, has been approved by Jackson’s estate and a court judge. But members of his family privately fear it will be edited to exonerate the concert promoters, AEG Live, sources said.
Joe Jackson said in July, “Michael told me himself that he agreed to 10 shows. But they went and added all these other shows. I was worried about his health.” But AEG, which is donating the majority of the film’s profits to the Jackson Family Trust, insists the star was in “really good shape.”
A source told Page Six, “They believe the movie only includes the best clips of Michael’s final rehearsals. He supposedly looks fit, together and excited.
“The family can’t speak out because money will be paid to the trust, but privately, they fear the movie is propaganda to back AEG’s argument that Michael was healthy and wasn’t being exploited.
“While fans want to remember Michael as the King of Pop, the family are still suspicious of AEG and how they handled Michael,” said our source. “Of course, this movie will also be a huge moneymaker.”
The Sony release was created from 100 hours of rehearsal footage shot in LA earlier this year. It’s directed by Jackson’s tour director, Kenny Ortega, who insisted that Michael was “beaming with gladness” and “in really good shape” the night before he died.
AEG Live President and CEO Randy Phillips has previously said that Jackson had a clean bill of health and that he agreed to extend the number of gigs to 50. AEG rep Michael Roth told us, “This is a matter for Sony, who bought the footage from us.”
Sony’s Steve Elzer said concerns about the editing “make no sense and don’t deserve comment,” calling the picture “a beautiful tribute.”
A family rep didn’t get back to us by deadline.