In life, movies were one area of entertainment that Michael Jackson never conquered. In death, the King of Pop may finally expand his kingdom to the multiplex.

Sony Pictures finalized a deal Monday to release a musical film composed from 80 hours of rehearsal footage shot in preparation for the 50 London concerts Jackson was preparing when he died June 25.
Named after the title of those concerts, which Jackson had vowed would be his last, the movie “This Is It” is scheduled for release Oct. 30.
The film will open simultaneously nationwide and around the world on that date, Sony Pictures spokesman Steve Elzer says. It’s a quick turnaround for a movie, but Elzer says editors have been at work on the footage since before the deal was struck, and the remaining two months will be plenty of time to complete the project. “We’re not rushing it, but we do want to get it out there,” he says.
Sequences will be in 3-D, and new interviews are planned with those who knew and worked with Jackson on the incomplete project.
Negotiations to acquire the footage for theatrical release began in mid-July, roughly three weeks after Jackson’s death. A bidding war between the major Hollywood studios broke out then for the still-unfinished film.
The release announcement came shortly after Sony’s final bid of $60 million for the film rights was approved Monday by a Los Angeles County probate court administering deals between Jackson’s estate and concert promoter AEG Live, which had to refund $85 million for ticketholders to the London shows. But AEG is poised to benefit from the renewed passion for all things Jackson.
What remains unclear is the form the film will take: Will it be pure performance from Jackson, or is there final interview footage? Will it include only the most polished rehearsals, or will audiences see aspects of the show in incomplete form?
And how will the film address his death? A chronological approach, building to his last night of rehearsal - or will it skirt his death entirely?
AEG representatives familiar with the footage did not immediately return calls for comment.
It’s also unclear what the public’s appetite will be.
“The whole thing is about DVD sales, which will be significant. But not theatrical,” predicts David Poland, veteran industry reporter for Movie CityNews.com. Recent concert films by U2 and the Rolling Stones have had tepid box-office runs.
“You’re asking people to go to a movie theater and spend $10, $15 to see a concert of old songs they’ll see on DVD in the next few months,” Poland says.