A Studio War Over Michael

On Saturday morning, Sony Pictures and 20th Century Fox were among the most likely winners in an auction that put up for sale the rights to show and distribute videos related to Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for the London concerts of "This Is It." The winner of the auction is expected to be announced next week. Besides Fox and Sony, other companies including Paramount and Universal also took part in this Hollywood auction. Because Sony has the rights to release Michael’s songs and albums, it has a better chance than its rivals of obtaining the rights to distribute the rehearsal video. It has been said that the auction price starts at $50 million. These rehearsals are Michael’s final performances on stage, and according to AEG — the company that recorded them and now intends to sell them — they are of such high quality that they can be released for sale on two separate albums. The recorded films include preparation stages, discussion and review sessions, and rehearsals on stage. Michael was actively present throughout these sessions, and his footage—where he moves from room to room to monitor the situation—is available in AEG’s archives. It remains to be seen which company will get the right to broadcast it. Alongside these films, AEG wants to hold another auction to grant exclusive broadcast rights for a television special connected to the This Is It concerts, which were once scheduled to open on July 13. The buzz around this special—something that resembles a TV concert—has created unusual excitement among television networks earlier this week. It is said that the special will be prepared in September, directed by Kenny Ortega. It is likely that many famous people and stars, including Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Will.i.am, will also appear in this TV special and perform Michael’s songs. It is also said that the special will feature special outfits designed for Michael’s concerts. Additionally, it is believed that the dance moves that were supposed to be performed by Michael and his team on stage in London, as well as the special effects that were planned to be used, will all be shown in this television special. It has been reported that the American TV network NBC will likely take exclusive rights to air this special. Source: eMJey / The NY Times / LA Times / deadlinehollywooddaily.com