The new Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" premiered at Los Angeles' Dolby Theater last Monday, drawing celebrities including Magic Johnson, Usher and Miles Teller. The film stars Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson and arrives amid what fans call an M.J. renaissance, with Broadway's "MJ: The Musical" already having won four Tony Awards after 10 nominations. The premiere marked a striking reversal from two decades ago, when Jackson's career cratered following his 2005 child molestation trial. He was acquitted, but the scandal's shadow lingered. Now, a new generation of listeners is rediscovering the artist whose "Thriller" and "Bad" albums transformed pop music, while older fans emerge from years of defensive silence. The biopic is expected to perform strongly at the box office this weekend despite mixed critical reviews, signaling that Jackson's complicated legacy remains commercially potent.

The premiere atmosphere felt like a return to peak Jackson mania, with attendees dressed in Jackson 5 vibrant colors, glittery military jackets and the signature sparkling white gloves. Inside the theater, audiences cheered every dance step and high-pitched whoop. For longtime fans who spent years defending Jackson against accusations of changing skin color, plastic surgery and inappropriate relationships with children, this moment represents a form of redemption. The author, a former Associated Press music editor, admits to owning two huge bins of Jackson memorabilia spanning his career from "Thriller"-era posters to the controversial 1993 New York Post headline "Peter Pan or Pervert?" following the first allegation.

Jackson died in 2009 at age 50, just as he was preparing another comeback. The biopic's success reflects how his cultural footprint — from breaking MTV barriers for Black artists to influencing everyone from Beyoncé to Justin Bieber — has outlasted the scandals that once made openly supporting him socially risky. The Broadway musical and film together signal that the business of Michael Jackson remains very much alive, even as debates about his personal life continue.