Jackson has his comeback, 4 months after his death
A new wave of Michael Jackson-related entertainment rolls out this week, with his This is It! concert film to premiere around the world on Tuesday and a display of memorabilia to go on display in London.
London showed its passion for the pop star last year, with his 50 comeback concerts selling out in a few hours.
Michael Jackson: This is It! distils more than 100 hours of footage shot as Jackson rehearsed for the London concerts into a documentary/concert film.
It is also a glimpse of the King of Pop in the last days of his life, appearing fit and energetic on the dance floor and creating new music as well as old favourites.
Jackson died June 25 at age 50 and an autopsy showed he had taken a lethal cocktail of at least six different drugs.
The film debuts Tuesday, screening simultaneously in 18 countries in special previews before going into commercial release the following day.
On Wednesday, the morning after the British premiere, a display of Jackson memorabilia goes on display at the O2 arena in London, where he was to have given his comeback concerts.
The display includes an original Jackson Five contract, an array of his signature jewelled gloves and the 1967 Rolls-Royce Phantom he used to squire friend Elizabeth Taylor around Los Angeles.
Jackson's hits are to be piped through the building, as visitors view the archway with a crown and crest from the Neverland ranch and the rocket ship used in the video for Leave Me Alone.
Sony, which paid $60 million US for the rights to This is It! plans to keep the film in cinemas for just two weeks, giving it an exclusivity akin to Jackson's concert appearances.
"We think the 16 days is right. It's sort of a special event that you want to frame in a special way," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony.
The short run guarantees packed houses — as interest in Jackson remains strong just four months after his death.
One group of fans is cautioning the film should be viewed with a hint of skepticism. A protest website, entitled This is NOT It, complains that the people around Jackson ignored his ill health and the producers of This is It! are papering over that neglect.
"Michael Jackson needed help, but they were too busy relishing the profits this tour would have generated to acknowledge it," the website says. It criticizes the film as movie "make-believe" and cautions fans to remember the greed that pushed Jackson to his death.
Jackson left three children who are being cared for by his mother.