Spike Lee Defends Michael Biopic's Timeline Amid Omission Debate

Spike Lee defended Lionsgate’s Michael against critics who argue the film should have included allegations of child sexual abuse. He says the movie’s timeline ends in 1988, before the first accusation, so including later allegations wouldn’t fit the story. The ending was also rewritten after a settlement clause restricted depicting or mentioning one accuser. Despite the controversy, the film has performed strongly at the box office, with about $97.5 million domestic debut and $423 million worldwide to date.