A film about Michael Jackson has become the highest-grossing music biopic opening in history, and the lawyer who helped build the pop star's business empire is central to telling that story.
Antoine Fuqua's Michael earned $97 million domestically and $217 million worldwide in its debut weekend, nearly doubling industry projections and surpassing previous records set by Bohemian Rhapsody and Straight Outta Compton.
Jaafar Jackson, the singer's nephew, stars in the title role.
Miles Teller portrays John Branca, the entertainment attorney who guided Jackson's finances for nearly three decades.
Branca began representing Jackson in 1980.
Among his first moves was securing the singer's ownership of his master recordings, rights Jackson did not hold at the time.
When record label executives balked at the cost of the "Thriller" music video, Branca helped arrange financing to get it made.
He then pressured MTV alongside CBS Records to air Jackson's work at a time when the network gave Black artists little airtime.
The "Billie Jean" video broke that barrier.
His most consequential deal came five years later.
In 1985, Branca engineered the acquisition of the ATV Music Publishing catalog for $47.5 million, giving Jackson control of hundreds of Beatles songs.
The catalog eventually merged with Sony to form Sony/ATV. Combined earnings from distributions and the estate's later share sale topped $1.1 billion.
Branca proved equally effective on other fronts. He negotiated the purchase of Neverland Ranch, listed at $60 million, for $17.5 million, furnishings included.
He also terminated Joe Jackson's involvement in his son's business affairs, delivering the news by fax.
The professional relationship carried personal weight as well. Jackson stood as best man at Branca's 1987 wedding.
"What I remember was that Michael's escort that night, his date, was his chimpanzee Bubbles, who came dressed in a tuxedo," Branca recalled in a 2023 Instagram post.
The partnership was not without friction. Branca was dismissed in 1990, rehired in 1993, and let go again in 2006. Jackson reinstated him just days before his death on June 25, 2009.
Jackson's estate carried more than $500 million in debt at the time of his death. Under Branca's management as co-executor, it has grown to a valuation above $2 billion with total earnings exceeding $3 billion — what CBS's 60 Minutes called "the most remarkable financial and image resurrection in pop culture history."
Branca is a partner and head of the music department at Ziffren Brittenham. He has represented more than 30 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, including the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Dr. Dre, and the Beach Boys.
Michael is now playing in theaters nationwide.
