Michael Jackson’s estate has slammed a new documentary which details fresh allegations of sexual abuse against the singer as ‘the kind of tabloid character assassination he endured in life, and now in death’- while also accusing the two men whose accounts the majority of the film relies on of being ‘perjurers’.
Leaving Neverland had its world premiere on Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah and details the relationships the King of Pop had with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, from when they were young boys.
Robson and Safechuck have long claimed that they were raped and molested by the singer at his Neverland Ranch.
Reacting to the documentary on Friday night, the late singer’s estate accused it of taking ‘uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treating them as fact’.
It also described Robson and Safechuck as ‘two perjurers’, in reference to sworn statements they gave while Jackson was alive stating he had not molested them.
The Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland had its world premiere on Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in park City, Utah (Jackson above with accuser Wade Robson)
The film focuses on the accounts of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, pictured as a child with Jackson, who have long claimed that they were raped and molested by the singer
The statement read: ‘The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact.
‘These claims were the basis of lawsuits filed by these two admitted liars which were ultimately dismissed by a judge.
‘The two accusers testified under oath that these events never occurred. They have provided no independent evidence and absolutely no proof in support of their accusations, which means the entire film hinges solely on the word of two perjurers.
‘Tellingly, the director admitted at the Sundance Film Festival that he limited his interviews only to these accusers and their families. In doing so, he intentionally avoided interviewing numerous people over the years who spent significant time with Michael Jackson and have unambiguously stated that he treated children with respect and did nothing hurtful to them.’
Discussing Robson, the statement added: ‘For 20 years, Wade Robson denied in court and in numerous interviews, including after Michael passed, that he was a victim and stated he was grateful for everything Michael had done for him.
‘His family benefitted from Michael’s kindness, generosity and career support up until Michael’s death. Conveniently left out of Leaving Neverland was the fact that when Robson was denied a role in a Michael Jackson themed Cirque du Soleil production, his assault allegations suddenly emerged.’
Wade Robson and James Safechuck leave theatre after premiere
Naysayers: ‘I don’t feel like there’s anything I need to say to them except that I understand that it’s really hard for them to believe,’ said Robson (left with director Dan Reed and James Safechuck)
James Safechuck, left, pictured as a child holding hands with Michael Jackson, received a standing ovation from the audience at the film’s premiere Friday
The explosive four-hour film accuses The King of Pop of staging a mock wedding complete with vows and a diamond ring with one boy, critics say.
‘Among the many, many disturbing revelations of #LeavingNverland: MJ gave one of his young male victims jewelry in exchange for sexual acts, and even staged a mock wedding complete with vows and diamond ring,’ wrote Patrick Ryan of USA Today.
‘Many common parallels in victims’ stories: MJ grooming them to hate their parents and women in general, saying God brought them together, eventually ‘casting them out’ for younger boys. ‘There was a lot of jealousy and hurt. You were no longer special.”
The new documentary, which will air on HBO and Channel 4 in the UK, shows the Grammy award winning artist to be ‘a fiend, a smooth predator and a monster’, according to one critic who has seen it.
‘Leaving Neverland is a horror film – an intimate, obviously believable, sometimes sexually explicit story of two boys who became Michael Jackson’s special ‘friends’ – i.e., lovers – while their oblivious parents went along. Jackson was a fiend – a smooth predator, a monster,’ said Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere.
‘Feel sick to my stomach after watching Part 1 of #LeavingNeverland doc. Michael Jackson witnesses/sex abuse victims coming off very credible. It’s so sexually explicit that counselors are in the lobby,’ wrote Mara Reinstein of US Weekly.
‘Shaking. Wow. We were all wrong when we cheered for Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile.’
Robson and Safechuck both received a standing ovation from the audience after the film before tearfully answering questions about the documentary.
Jackson denied all allegations that he abused underage boys during his lifetime, and his estate has done the same in the decade since his death.
Michael Jackson’s estate’s full statement on explosive new documentary Leaving Neverland
Statement in full:
”Leaving Neverland’ isn’t a documentary, it is the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death.
‘The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact. These claims were the basis of lawsuits filed by these two admitted liars which were ultimately dismissed by a judge.
‘The two accusers testified under oath that these events never occurred. They have provided no independent evidence and absolutely no proof in support of their accusations, which means the entire film hinges solely on the word of two perjurers.
‘Tellingly, the director admitted at the Sundance Film Festival that he limited his interviews only to these accusers and their families. In doing so, he intentionally avoided interviewing numerous people over the years who spent significant time with Michael Jackson and have unambiguously stated that he treated children with respect and did nothing hurtful to them.
‘By choosing not to include any of these independent voices who might challenge the narrative that he was determined to sell, the director neglected fact checking so he could craft a narrative so blatantly one-sided that viewers never get anything close to a balanced portrait.
‘For 20 years, Wade Robson denied in court and in numerous interviews, including after Michael passed, that he was a victim and stated he was grateful for everything Michael had done for him.
‘His family benefitted from Michael’s kindness, generosity and career support up until Michael’s death. Conveniently left out of Leaving Neverland was the fact that when Robson was denied a role in a Michael Jackson themed Cirque du Soleil production, his assault allegations suddenly emerged.
‘We are extremely sympathetic to any legitimate victim of child abuse. This film, however, does those victims a disservice.
‘Because despite all the disingenuous denials made that this is not about money, it has always been about money – millions of dollars — dating back to 2013 when both Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who share the same law firm, launched their unsuccessful claims against Michael’s Estate.
‘Now that Michael is no longer here to defend himself, Robson, Safechuck and their lawyers continue their efforts to achieve notoriety and a payday by smearing him with the same allegations a jury found him innocent of when he was alive.’