U.S. popstar Michael Jackson performs during his "HIStory World Tour" concert in Vienna in this July 2, 1997 file photo. Pop star Michael Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009 after rehearsing for a series of 50 concerts in London. Opening statements in civil trial over the death of Jackson begin April 29, 2013, with Katherine Jackson accusing concert promoters AEG Live of negligence in the hiring of convicted physician Dr. Conrad Murray. Picture taken July 2, 1997. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/Files (AUSTRIA - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT SOCIETY OBITUARY PROFILE)
Yes $2 Billion.That is the amount the estate of Michael Jackson has grossed since his tragic passing in 2009.
It’s no wonder, then, why Team MJ are continuing to keep the wheels moving with new ventures pertaining to the late, great King of Pop.
The latest, it has been announced, will be released next month.
Details below…
‘Off The Wall’ – the first of MJ’s mega collaborations with Quincy Jones (and the record Rolling Stone asserts “invented modern pop as we know it” – is to receive an elaborate re-packaging to coincide with the US Black History Month.
On February 26th, Sony Legacy Recordings and the Estate of Michael Jackson will release the CD/DVD and CD/Blu Ray editions of the monumental album. The beefed up set will include the original LP which will be paired with the new Spike Lee documentary Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall.
Per HDD, Lee’s doc (which is co-produced by John Branca and John McClain) will be world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24th and comes to television via Showtime on February 26th.
This follows re-issues of ‘Thriller’ (in 2008 before Jackson’s death) and ‘Bad’ in 2012 (to commemorate that album’s 25th anniversary.
Original material has surfaced in the form of 2010’s ‘Michael’ and 2014’s ‘Xscape.’
*********
Some may scoff, but we’re here for it. Albeit cautiously.
Many forget that Michael himself was a smart businessman (see: Beatles catalogue), hence if there’s money to be made why not make it?
That said, we do hope the future sees the Estate move away from concurrent re-releases and onto something more impactful. A major museum, perhaps? A glimpse of the album he was working on at the time of his passing? A big budget movie?
Clearly, there’s big think tanks and major money in the MJ camp posthumously; we’re keen to see ideas
