Michael Jackson’s estate sues Disney, ABC over TV special
LOS ANGELES — The estate of Michael Jackson sued ABC and parent company Disney on Wednesday, saying a two-hour documentary on the singer’s last days improperly used the King of Pop’s songs, music videos and movies.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles alleges that last week’s special, “The Last Days of Michael Jackson,” illegally uses significant excerpts of his most valuable songs, including “Billie Jean” and “Bad,” and music videos, including “Thriller” and “Black or White.”
It also says ABC used clips from the estate’s 2016 Spike Lee-directed documentary, “Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall,” and from the 2009 feature film “Michael Jackson’s This is It.”
The lawsuit alleges at least 30 violations and seeks unspecified damages and an injunction against further use of the estate’s intellectual property.