The documentary Leaving Neverland 2 revisits the sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson as Wade Robson and James Safechuck receive a court date for their lawsuit
The 2019 documentary movie Leaving Neverland focused on Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who allege they were sexually abused as children by pop star Michael Jackson. Channel 4 has now followed up their story in Leaving Neverland 2, broadcast tonight, while James and Wade have learnt when they will finally get their day in court more than 10 years after they first came forward.
Michael Jackson died in 2009, and James and Wade have brought their lawsuit against two companies, MJJ Ventures, which is owned by the Jackson estate, and MJJ Productions, accusing the company of failing to protect them from Jackson and even going so far as to make sure the singer could get them alone.
The new documentary catches up with the pair’s case as they continue their fight against the Jackson estate and explores the tactics used by MJJ Ventures and MJJ Productions to prevent their case from going to trial.
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Channel 4 described the one-off documentary: “Through candid interviews, James and Wade detail the personal toll of going public with their accusations and reckoning with the backlash from Jackson’s global army of fans, while exclusive access to court hearings related to the separate claims against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures show the extent to which the Jackson estate has fought to prevent James and Wade from having their day in court.”
At the end of the documentary it is stated that a court date has been scheduled for May next year but after more delays, a new date of November 23, 2026 has now been proposed.
It is also expected there will be a third and final Leaving Neverland documentary that will cover the trial itself.
“I wanted to fight for little James, I wanted to fight for him, and fight for myself. I imagine telling little James it will be okay and that I love him,” James Safechuck says in Leaving Neverland 2, while Wade Robson reveals that there were always bodyguards outside the room when he was with Michael Jackson, who must have known what was going on and “nobody did anything about it.”
Both men make it clear they want their day in court and their lawyers, Vince Finaldo and John Manly speak in length about bringing the case to court.
Leaving Neverland 2 also shows a clip of the Jackson family on a TV chat show alleging that James and Wade only came forward “for the money,” following the release of the original documentary. Jackson’s estate released a statement to USA Today in 2019, saying that Leaving Neverland “isn’t a documentary, it is the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death. The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact.”
Michael Jackson was arrested on child molestation charges in 2003, but was acquitted in 2005. In another case in 1994, Jackson settled out of court for a reported sum of more than $20 million.
Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4
* If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
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