Audiences will get to enjoy his perform one more time later this year as a judge approved a deal to produce a movie fashioned from footage of Michael Jackson's final rehearsals on Monday.
|
|
|
Pop star Michael Jackson rehearses for his planned shows in London at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California in this handout photo taken June 23, 2009.[Xinhua/Reuters] |
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, overseeing the singer's will, said he had approved several business deals, including a 60 million dollar agreement with Columbia Pictures to make a movie from video of the King of Pop's final rehearsals for a series of concerts that had been set to take place in London this past July.
Columbia Pictures announced the movie, which is dubbed "This Is It" by Jackson, will have performances and behind-the-scenes video of Jackson preparing for the concerts.
The movie is due to be in theaters on Oct. 30, with all the people dressing up as Michael Jackson and standing in movie theater lines a whole week before Halloween. Some of it will be shown in movie theaters in 3-D.
It is reported that Columbia Pictures paid 60 million dollar for rights to the film, and the contract states Jackson's estate is slated to receive 90 percent of its profits.
Beckloff had until Monday to approve the film and allowed Jackson's mother, Katherine, to review the contracts and raise any objections.
Her attorneys have raised questions about other agreements concerning AEG Live and merchandiser Bravado. The estate wants to enter into agreements with the two companies for merchandising and the judge is considering appointing an attorney to represent Jackson's children's interests in the deals.
Jackson died on June 25, days before he was set to embark to England for his comeback shows.
(Agencies/Xinhua August 11, 2009)
