Leaving Neverland

Leaving Neverland is a 2019 documentary television film directed and produced by Dan Reed. The documentary focuses on two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege they were sexually abused as children by the American singer Michael Jackson.

Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2019, Leaving Neverland was broadcast in two parts on HBO; a shortened version was broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in March 2019. The film received critical acclaim, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, but negative reviews from viewers.

Leaving Neverland triggered a media backlash against Jackson and a reassessment of his legacy. However, it boosted sales of his music. Some dismissed the film as one-sided and questioned its veracity; Jackson's estate condemned it as a "tabloid character assassination", while Jackson's fans organized protests. A number of rebuttal documentaries seeking to refute the allegations were released. In February 2019, the Jackson estate sued HBO and later won their case against HBO for breaching a non-disparagement clause from a 1992 Jackson concert contract by distributing the film. A sequel, Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson, premiered on March 18, 2025.