PARIS, April 19 -- A new Michael Jackson biopic will shortly arrive in cinemas telling the story of the King of Pop's early career, but it's a tightly controlled story that avoids any reference to the child sex abuse allegations that dogged his later life.

Titled Michael and beset by production and legal problems, it spans his childhood in Gary, Indiana, and climaxes with the moonwalking megastar performing in London during his Bad World Tour.

Distributors Lionsgate are hoping for global revenues of US$700 million (RM2.77 billion) from a production budget of US$200 million, which would push it close to the US$910 million earned by Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018 - a record for a musical biopic.

Made by the same producer as the Queen biopic B...