Michael Jackson biopic may be in the works thanks to good friend Brett Ratner, 'Tower Heist' directo

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'Tower Heist' filmer talks with longtime Jackson aide and author Frank Cascio



TODAY IN GATECRASHER
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DAVID MCNEW/GETTY IMAGES

The life of Michael Jackson (above in 2004) is drawing interest from 'Tower Heist' director Brett Ratner.




Michael Jackson and his silver glove may be coming to the silver screen, courtesy of Brett Ratner, who was a pal.
A Hollywood insider tells us the “Tower Heist” director and producer, who was a good friend of the King of Pop, is interested in making a movie that would show “the real” Jackson.
According to the source, the filmmaker recently met with another friend of the Gloved One, Frank Cascio, author of “My Friend Michael.” The book, according to its jacket, “refutes the rumors, lies and accusations that have accumulated over the years” and yet provides a “candid” look at the late pop star, who died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication in 2009.
According to his account, Cascio met Jackson in 1984 and later became his assistant and eventually manager.
Cascio’s firsthand account of his relationship with Jackson chronicles Jackson’s journey through some dark times, including child molestation charges and prescription drug use.
According to another source close to Ratner, a Jackson movie has “been an idea of Brett’s for a while” and “is taking shape.”
The source also notes that it’s understandable Ratner would want to do “a project” on Jackson, given “their close friendship.”
Jackson “was the most inspirational person in my life,” Ratner told the Los Angeles Times after his death in June 2009. “When you were with him, you really felt like God was within him.”
Ratner, 42, has often recounted playing pranks on bystanders with the artist, watching movies together and dancing at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.
Although Ratner never directed one of Jackson’s music videos, the pair spent plenty of time together during Jackson’s career. They worked together on a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir’s in-depth, headline-making interview with Jackson that ran on ABC in 2003.
Cascio wrote in “My Friend Michael,” published by William Morrow in November, that Jackson and his fans felt the Bashir profile was “unfair.”
Cascio also noted that he met Ratner through Jackson when Ratner helped the King of Pop respond to the Bashir report, which was titled “Living With Michael Jackson.”
Cascio explains that he helped Ratner “put together a long version of the rebuttal” at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. The film was called “Michael Jackson’s Private Home Movies.”
“Every now and then, Brett would bring some beautiful women to visit, which kept things interesting,” writes Cascio, who we hear is also dating a beautiful woman, former “Amazing Race” contestant and Ryan Seacrest ex Shana Wall.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/m...-brett-ratner-article-1.1011989#ixzz1kbM5VSfA
 
http://www.cherryontop.com/2012/01/is-brett-ratner-planning-a-michael-jackson-biopic/
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  • brett-leather-mj.jpg

    Reportedly, famed Hollywood director and close Michael Jackson pal Brett Ratner is interested in making a movie that would show “the real” King of Pop. According to the NY Daily News:
    “…the filmmaker recently met with another friend of the Gloved One, Frank Cascio, author of My Friend Michael. The book, according to its jacket, ‘refutes the rumors, lies and accusations that have accumulated over the years’ and yet provides a ‘candid’ look at the late pop star, who died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication in 2009.
    According to his account, Cascio met Jackson in 1984 and later became his assistant and eventually manager.
    Cascio’s firsthand account of his relationship with Jackson chronicles Jackson’s journey through some dark times, including child molestation charges and prescription drug use.
    According to another source close to Ratner, a Jackson movie has ‘been an idea of Brett’s for a while’ and ‘is taking shape.’”
    A Michael Jackson biopic would garner a lot of attention, but we wonder who they would get to play “The Gloved One”? Who do you think should get the part if the film comes to fruition?


 
They would need the estate approval first I would think. The idea of an MJ movie scares me after what VH1 did lmao. But, The Jackson's An American Dream was well made so that gives me hope that maybe they can do even better then that did? We shall see.......O_O
 
I think this is a terrible idea, I hope it never happens. What they should do is remaster Michael and Jacksons/Jackson 5 concerts and give them a cinema release prior to DVD release. That would be wonderful.
 
Hope this never happens, Michael is Michael and no one else could ever re-create that.

I would worry that because he's so unique any attempt to portray will come across as patronizing and just be ridiculed.
 
I don't think Ratner is a good idea. To be Michael's friend not for a long time and to be a good director is not the same.
 
Honestly, I don't see a biopic doing complete justice to who Michael Jackson was. There's just a whole lot that could go wrong in attempting this.
 
I don't know if I trust anyone doing Michael justice in making a movie of his life. One thing I would want attention to is Michael's vitiligo because he suffered from that and people never understood. I don't want that skipped over. I don't know if Brett and Michael were on good terms when he died. I am scared about a movie being done.
 
Some points:

- Brett Ratner is not what I would call a good director
- Any MJ film these days would just focus on: Pepsi Burn, Skin Colour, Nose Surgery and both Allegations (cough 'Extortion' cough), and even then it would just focus on lies
- The script would focus on tabloid lies rather then actual facts
- There will only be minimal reference to his actual success and that would probably only be Thriller.
- It would make no reference to Michael's charity work.
- They would also paint his personality as a weak-minded, fragile fool rather then the strong, smart and charismatic person he really was

So all in all........this film should never happen!!!!
 
^and a whole lot of drug addiction tales. Tito, Rebbie, and Janet will probably insist on it being in there.
 
There are a few of Ratner's films I enjoy (Rush Hour series, Tower Heist was OK), but none of his films really show a whole lot of talent, they are just fun films. I appreciate his willingness to paint Michael in a good light, but he would need some amazing talent to pull off something like this. Either do it right or not at all.
 
I am willing to bet, Frank Cascio tried to sell the movie idea to John Branca (as he said he would) and Branca probably told him to hit the unemployment line.

This story reads like an extortion plot....trying to force the estate's hands to go in business with Ratner and Cascio.

No movie based on Cascio's book please. I'd rather Taraborelli... At least he researched his subject.


Cascio already admitted, his book is nothing more than his opinion ....not fact-based. You can't do a biography flick based on innuendos, and made up stories (My extrapolation: he saved MJ from certain death during the earth song bridge accident).

Scene 23: Frank Cascio's view: Michael married Lisa Marie to please the arabs

Scene 24: Frank Cascio's father's view: Michael married LMP because he wanted a family.

Conclusion:

Dichotomy doesn't make for a great movie. I suggest Frank Cascio go back to his old job.... (Whatever he was doing before MJ passed)
 
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Doesn't the estate have to be involved too if a movie was ever made? I don't think we need a movie at this point in time.
 
Didnt brett say some kind of ish bout mj that alot of fans werent happy bout? or maybe im getting him confused with someone else... :unsure:
 
I thought Ratner's relationship with MJ didn't end well because Al Malnik or something like that??? Personally, I think it's too quick to do a biopic and Ratner is just an ok director. On the other hand, I don't think a 2 hr or 2.5 hr film can cover completely of MJ's story. If the want to do the film, they might only focus on the dramatic things: allegation, drug problems etc. I thought there are also some news said the estate is talking to do the biopic too. Wonder how all these going to end?
 
I thought Ratner's relationship with MJ didn't end well because Al Malnik or something like that??

Yeh something happened but cant remember excatly what it was
 
I don't like the idea of a movie being made. When I think of all that Michael went through only to die the way he died, it just breaks my heart. I don't want to see Michael's life put up on a movie screen knowing the senseless way that his life ended and especially when people already have their own opinions about him anyway. What good is a movie about him going to do at this point?
 
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I thought we had a biopic thread already. I see Frank is involved in this. Anyway the estate was putting that idea on hold until they found a good plan. I hope no one else is going to rush with something that turns out to lack depth.

Memefan and Krishna love your posts.
 
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You bring the King Of Pop it's vertually impossible to NOT have a biopec filmed about him... NO ONE can capture the full essence of Michael considering there is ONE Michael, and sooo much to cover..

I just hope that at least some fans learn to except that and when it does come out, not to critisize every little aspect that is not up to "FAN" standards.. NOTHING will so we can't expect that.

Also a story/movie needs..

1) A theme
2) antagonist/protagonist
3) conflict (meaning hardship and contraversy of Michaels in this case)
4) a turning point (something that takes the movie else where almost like the "bridge" like a song)


Now with those other things will come, depending on the theme/message of the story it will dictate how the movie begins and ends. usually the beginning of a movie connects to the end in some way just like a piece of writting in school..


SOme fans wont want some of the key aspects of the movie that are going to be in there for sure for the sake of a full movie..

The word contraversy still fallows michael and will always.. Both in good and bad way. we have to accept the fact the movie wont be just a glory movie.. Even the movie 'Ali' showed Ali's bad side that got fans upset, same with ray, same with any biopec.

I just don't want to see the same spit at the movie as many fans give anything showing michael in an non PERFECT light. I promise you the movie will UP Michaels sales but some fans will tarnish the possiblities cuz of hate..


Of course I dont know how the movie will come out, it may be horrible.. who knows at this point. But I hope fans start opening there minds a bit to specific things.
 
If they are actually going through with this, I think they should be really dedicated to it because right now, the MJ movie thats out there is "Man in the Mirror" with Flex Alexander as Michael&#8230; :eek: I mean REALLY? and they make Michael look like a verrrrryyyy Naiive child who doesnt have sense in the world&#8230; I hope who ever makes a movie about Michael, do it from their hearts and NOT for the fame/money$&#8230;


L.o.v.e.
Romi
 
The Jacksons American Dream movie was a mini series that was more then 2 hrs. That focused on J5 fame up until MJs Thriller era. So I can't see how they can possibly do an MJ movie for the big screen and get it right within 2hrs? It would have to be another mini series to fit his whole life, so it would have to be straight to TV again IMO!
 
If anything, it should be a documentary the same way Tupac Shakur's estate did "Tupac Resurrection". Compile footage from throughout his life and have Michael via old interviews and such, narrate his life, himself

Get old interviews and those tapes Michael and his ghostwriter recorded when doing Moonwalk and maybe those tapes Rabbi Schumley has
 
mj_brainiac;3588322 said:
If anything, it should be a documentary the same way Tupac Shakur's estate did "Tupac Resurrection". Compile footage from throughout his life and have Michael via old interviews and such, narrate his life, himself

Get old interviews and those tapes Michael and his ghostwriter recorded when doing Moonwalk and maybe those tapes Rabbi Schumley has

If this was before the 2000's, i'd have agreed with the documentaries but now? there are sooooooo many documentaries out there Official/unofficial that have the same darn footage that ppl. will not be interested. Now if you're talking about NEVER seen footages from Michael's vault&#8230; that might work. Michael had personal recordings of everywhere he went and its never seen before&#8230; if they were meant to be released, then they should be, but if MIchael recorded it for his children to see and not for the rest of the world, it should stay that way.


L.o.v.e.
Romi
 
No thanks. any biopic film is a bad idea imo. better off with something mentioned above. thankfully the estate has control over this. did frank not sell enough books. and he claimed he saved mj in munich? did i miss him climbing the bridge to save mike?!
 
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