AceShowbiz - "Michael," the biopic covering Michael Jackson's storied life, is facing a series of substantial challenges due to an unforeseen legal obstacle stemming from a decades-old settlement agreement.

The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson's real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, was initially slated for an April 2025 release but has now been postponed to October 2025 due to required reshoots and script rewrites.

The controversy centers on a 1993 legal settlement between the Jackson estate and the family of Jordan Chandler, who accused Jackson of sexual abuse. Part of the agreement prohibits the Chandlers from being mentioned or dramatized in any movie. Unfortunately, the film's script, depicting Jackson's legal battle as a central theme, violated this clause, thus calling for urgent changes mere months before its theatrical release.

Puck reported that the revelation of the Chandler clause came only after principal photography had wrapped, creating a "nightmare scenario" for the filmmakers. Director Antoine Fuqua, screenwriter John Logan, and producer Graham King are now revising the film's narrative to comply with these legal stipulations while trying to maintain its integrity and appeal.

"The Michael Jackson biopic is not in total chaos," a source close to the production told PEOPLE on January 24. "The inflammatory headlines about the moving halting are simply not true. The film is moving forward, and reshoots are happening in March."

The Jackson estate, directly involved in the production, was reportedly blindsided by the restriction. This has not only escalated the film's budget, which already stands at $150 million, but also put its storytelling approach under scrutiny.

Producer Graham King aimed to take an "unbiased" approach, saying, "Michael's life was complicated. As a filmmaker, I look to humanize but not sanitize and present the most compelling, unbiased story I can capture in a single feature film and let the audience decide how they feel after watching it."

Despite these hurdles, the estate has pledged financial support for necessary reshoots and script modifications. Still, there is pressure to deliver a compelling narrative without the now prohibited dramatic elements. The revised script will need approval from both Lionsgate, the U.S. distributor, and Universal, which handles international distribution.

The film's initial logline promised an "honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated" Michael Jackson, including his most iconic performances and personal struggles. However, the sudden need to omit the Chandler-related segments leaves the filmmakers with the daunting task of preserving the movie's emotional weight and narrative depth.

Adding to the complexity, the biopic is already under public scrutiny. Dan Reed, director of the documentary "Leaving Neverland," has openly criticized any attempt to frame Jackson's narrative dismissively of his alleged victims' experiences. The public's anticipation and opinions on the film will undoubtedly add another layer of challenges for the creators of "Michael."