It wasn’t easy, but Neverland Ranch was the primary filming location for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic.
About 300 people Descent permission The film began shooting at the infamous site north of Santa Ynez, California, in April, according to film permit activity seen by SF Gate.
“Talking, petting zooms and stunts” were permitted, as was the use of helicopters.
Jackson’s nephew, Ja’far Jackson, will play the late King of Pop in Antoine Fuqua’s film “Michael,” due for release in April 2025.
The estate is linked to sensational allegations against Jackson, who died in 2009 from an acute drug overdose at the age of 50.
Jackson faced 14 charges in a child sex abuse investigation, including seven counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of providing alcohol to a minor, but was acquitted of all charges in June 2005, at which point he stopped visiting Neverland.
Billionaire Ron Burkle, co-founder of investment firm Yucaipa Companies and a former colleague of Jackson’s, bought the Los Olivos, California, estate in 2020 for $22 million, a bargain compared to when it was first purchased. Go to market It was acquired in 2015 for a massive $100 million.
The 12,000-square-foot mansion sits on nearly 2,700 acres and comes complete with a 50-seat movie theater, a basketball court, and several guest houses.
While Neverland was for sale, it was renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch in an attempt to dispel its disturbing legacy, but the name never stuck.
In 2016, Jackson Triple-locked secret closet Neverland Ranch is filled with photos of naked boys and children’s toys.
Three years later, the documentary Leaving Neverland focused on the stories of two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who said Jackson sexually abused them as children at the ranch and elsewhere.
