New Delhi, May 4 -- Filmmaker Spike Lee has defended the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael after criticism over the film's decision not to include child abuse allegations made against the late pop star, arguing that such complaints fail to account for the story's timeline.

Speaking to CNN while promoting his latest project, Lee addressed growing debate surrounding the Antoine Fuqua-directed film, which has faced scrutiny from some critics and commentators over its apparent exclusion of the allegations that surfaced later in Jackson's life.

"First of all, if you're a movie critic, and you're complaining about the stuff, all this other stuff-but the movie ends at '88. The stuff you're talking about, accusations, happen [later]," Lee...