Sony Music Acquires Major Stake in Michael Jackson Catalog, Valued at $1.2 Billion-Plus

EXCLUSIVE: Sony has stepped up with a $1.5 million bid to uncap Cola Wars, a movie pitch that tells the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola, sparking the unforgettable “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s. This behind-the-scenes account, from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, tells the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender vying for the No. 1 spot.

Thania Garcia Universal Music Group has acquired a 25.8% interest in Chord Music Partners — whose portfolio includes music from the Weeknd, Ellie Goulding, John Legend, Kid Cudi and more — for $240 million. Chord, which was formed in 2021 by KKR and Dundee Partners, will work with UMG and Dundee as part of a long-term partnership where UMG will handle distribution and publishing administration for Chord’s existing catalog through Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and UMG’s Virgin Music Group (VMG).

Michael Jackson, titled Michael, is set to be released in 2025, and the cast is coming together – read on to see who will star in the film.Michael has been confirmed to receive a theatrical release in the United States on April 18, 2025, per production house Lionsgate. A UK release date is yet to be announced.It will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who is known for films including Training Day, The Equalizer and Brooklyn’s Finest.

In the latest major M&A deal to hit Europe, Fremantle has acquired Asacha Media Group, the growing owner of Death in Paradise producer Red Planet, Arrrow Media and Italy’s Stand By Me.

EXCLUSIVE: The EFM market has lift off! In the first major worldwide pact done on the ground here in Berlin, Sony has tied up a deal in the $50M range for Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Colin Farrell (The Batman) package A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, which is one of the market’s hottest scripts.

Jaafar Jackson is hard at work at his highly-anticipated new Michael Jackson biopic!

Michael Jackson fans have been left completely taken-aback by just how much his nephew Jaafar is the spitting image of him in the first look at a new film. Fans of the King of Pop are gearing up for the first biopic of the late star's incredible life, which is titled Michael. In the initial snapshot, which was released yesterday, 13 February, 27 year old Jaafar, who is the son of Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson, has undergone a full transformation to become his beloved uncle.

Michael Jackson fans worldwide.Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson is the reincarnation of his uncle in the first image released from Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael.” “With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” said Oscar-winning producer Graham King told Deadline. “He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”The highly anticipated biopic centered on the “King of Pop” from Lionsgate and Universal will be released in theaters April 18, 2025.In the image, Jaafar wears an ensemble similar to one that Jackson wore during his performance at the 12th annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1995.

Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar portraying the late singer in the forthcoming biopic Michael has been shared.The pic, which you can view below, sees Jaafar performing as Jackson during his Dangerous Tour from 1992-93.“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” said producer Graham King in a statement via Variety. “He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”Jaafar and nine-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi will play an adult and child version of Michael respectively in the forthcoming biopic.Colman Domingo was also recently cast as Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson.Domingo previously said of his casting: “It’s exciting to do it with Jaafar.

We have the incredible first look at Jaafar Jackson as his uncle, Michael Jackson, for the Michael Jackson biopic film!

As you might expect, there are a lot of people anticipating the release of Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, simply titled “Michael.” Is it going to be a warts and all look into the life of one of the most famous pop stars to ever live? Or perhaps it’s going to be more like “Bohemian Rhapsody” (it shares the same producer) and present a more family-friendly look at his life? Continue reading ‘Michael’ First Look: Here’s Jaafar Jackson Playing The Iconic Michael Jackson In Antoine Fuqua’s Biopic at The Playlist.

Jordan Moreau The first look at the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic has been released, and it recreates one of the singer’s most iconic outfits. Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays the King of Pop in “Michael,” which releases in theaters on April 18, 2025. The film is now in production.

Thania Garcia Paramore has announced its first order of business as independent artists will be championing independent record stores as a Record Store Day Ambassador for 2024. Paramore — the trio consisting of frontwoman Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro — took to social media over the weekend to share the news and confirmed the band is “freshly independent,” as Variety reported in January.

Usher made it clear that he wanted to pay homage to iconic Black artists when he took the stage for the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday (February 11), and we caught at least one reference to the late King of Pop – Michael Jackson.

according to Billboard.The deal would also be the biggest ever for the work of a single musician, the BBC reported.Jackson, who died in 2009, remains immensely popular on music streaming services like Spotify, where he averages 40 million monthly listeners.Just two of his countless hits, “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” have each been played more than one billion times on Spotify alone, according to the BBC.The deal comes just as an upcoming biopic about Jackson’s life and career starring his nephew is set to hit the big screen next year.The deal also reportedly includes tracks by other artists that had been acquired by Jackson’s Mijac publishing group — including hit songs by Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, the BBC reported.The Jackson deal is as big or bigger than the $1.2 billion deal sought by Queen, which includes royalties for streams and other uses like the Freddy Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” and theatrical productions, according to Billboard.Sony’s deal with Jackson’s estate does not include royalties from the Broadway play and other theatrical productions featuring his music, the outlet reported.Sony paid $100 million in 1991 to buy the first half of what became Sony/ATV— ATV being the catalog that Jackson purchased in 1985 that included the Beatles catalog, according to Billboard.

Kylie Jenner is showing off her new haircut!

Michael Jackson‘s catalogue in a landmark deal.According to Billboard, the company will fork out at least $600million (£475million) for its stake in the late star’s publishing and recorded masters catalogue, with sources valuing it at between $1.2billion and $1.5billion in total. However, no exact figure is known currently.Should these numbers be accurate, the deal is expected to be the biggest-ever valuation of an artist’s music assets.It is said that Sony’s deal with the Michael Jackson estate does not include royalties from Broadway’s MJ The Musical and other theatrical productions featuring the King Of Pop’s material.But it reportedly includes songs by other acts from Jackson’s Mijac publishing catalogue such as Sly & The Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield and Ray Charles.The deal, which Billboard said closed in late 2023, trumps the $1.2billion that Queen are currently seeking for their recorded music, publishing and other income streams like royalties from the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic.Almost exactly one year ago, it was reported that the Michael Jackson estate was nearing a huge deal to sell half of its ownership in his catalogue.

Having already performed on the Super Bowl stage as a special guest of the Black Eyed Peas in 2011, Usher is no stranger to the halftime show. But it is another former headliner whom the 45-year-old singer has taken particular inspiration from going into Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday night.That would be his longtime hero, Michael Jackson, who forever changed the halftime show — turning it into the biggest gig in music — when he put the “superstar” in the Super Bowl.“He absolutely revolutionized the experience like no other,” Usher told The Post.“He changed how people perceived the halftime show [because before Jackson] it was just kind of hiring, you know, local performers or whatever it might be … I really did respect that.”And Usher plans to honor Jackson’s historic moment when he follows in his legendary footsteps midway through Sunday’s showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.“It became a great inspiration behind some of the things that I chose to do with this show,” he said.Of course, Usher — who made his self-titled debut 30 years ago as a 15-year-old — has three decades of his own experience to draw from as well.But the man behind such chart-topping hits as “Nice & Slow,” “U Remind Me,” “Yeah!” and “Love in This Club” says that it won’t be all about him when he headlines the biggest stage of all.“This has been a moment that is a celebration — not just for myself but for 30 years of people who have supported me, supported my journey, supported my choice of conversation,” said Usher.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Sony Pictures has acquired international distribution rights to “YOLO,” a mainland Chinese comedy film that releases in China on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday. The film is written, directed by and stars Jia Ling, China’s top-grossing female filmmaker. She portrays Le Ying, an unemployed woman in her thirties who still lives with her parents until one day, she meets a boxing coach (portrayed by Lei Jiayin), who just may change her life.

Usher opened up about the important lessons that he picked up from conversations with Michael Jackson.