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'Leaving Neverland' director wants to 'reveal more Michael Jackson abuse' in second documentary

Dan Reed's documentary, in which James Safechuck and Wade Robson accused the late musician of abusing them when they were children, is HBO's second most viewed documentary of the past decade
PUBLISHED APR 12, 2019

The director of HBO's documentary 'Leaving Neverland,' Dan Reed has shared that he is hopeful that a second documentary would "reveal more Michael Jackson abuse". 

Reed took to Twitter to confirm that the documentary is HBO's second most viewed documentary of the past decade — the first one being 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief'. Reed is hoping to be able to convince and persuade more alleged victims of the late pop legend and will aim to focus on the stories and experiences of Jordan Chandler and Gavin Arvizo, whose allegations had resulted in previous trials.



 

In 1994, Chandler had received around $23 million from Jackson. Post the first documentary which focuses on accusations made by James Safechuck and Wade Robson, Reed is hopeful that the second one will dive into Chandler and Arvizo's story. Reed earlier spoke to Mirror and said, "What’s interesting is to look at the Jordan Chandler civil case and criminal trial. Those are two films I’d like to make. But Gavin and Jordan would have to come forward." 



 

In the past, Jackson's estate has flatly denied the testimonies made by Chandler and Arvizo as well as the claims of Robson and Safechuck in 'Leaving Neverland'. Jackson's estate has slammed the allegations in a documentary titled 'Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary'. 'Neverland Firsthand' which was directed by Eli Pedraza was released around a month after Reed's documentary aired and contains at interviews from Jackson's family members and his longtime tech director Brad Sundberg. 

Sundberg who worked with Jackson for around 18 years, discredited claims by Robson in his lawsuit that suggested that some of the abuse had taken place at a recording studio called Record 1 at Neverland ranch. "All those who were in the studio had a reason for being there. It wasn't like Michael had guests there every day.  Guests were actually pretty infrequent. The perception that Michael always had kids there, there is really no validity to that. We were working," Sundberg shared. 

When asked whether he believed Robson's claims, Sundberg said that he was a father at that point and had two daughters and had worked with children in church for several years. "I'm very aware of kids. Not in a million years, did I ever see a child around Michael Jackson that looked like they had been distressed, hurt, abused. I can't put my hand on a bible and say, 'Absolutely nothing happened in that room.' It's just, there weren't that many instances."

Michael Jackson was accused of sexual abuse by James Safechuck and Wade Robson (Source: Getty Images)

"I remember seeing Wade once or twice in the studio but it was not a regular occurrence at all and there just wasn't a sense of [any] wrongdoing," Sundberg continued. "Neverland was unbelievable. It was such a peaceful, safe, fun place designed very specifically for kids that were underprivileged or burn victims, or sick kids, or make-a-wish kids. I have been in every corner and in every closet. There was that level of trust. There was nothing that even hinted at 'Oh Wow, what is this guy into?'"

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