Kew Media Distribution Secures International Rights To HBO & C4 Michael Jackson Doc ‘Leaving Neverland’

Kew Media Distribution has secured the international rights for HBO and Channel 4’s controversial Michael Jackson doc Leaving Neverland.

The company has picked up the global distribution for the two-part doc, outside of the U.S. and UK, and will sell it to broadcasters and streaming services around the world.

This comes after the Sundance Film Festival revealed that the film, which is directed by The Paedophile Hunter director Dan Reed, was to be part of the line-up in Park City.

Leaving Neverland, which will screen in the special events category, tells the story of two boys, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, now in their 30s, who say they were sexually abused by Jackson when they were ages 7 and 10. It features interviews with the two men.

It is exec produced by Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, executive vice presidents of HBO Documentary and Family Programming, and Channel 4 Specialist Factual commissioner Tom Porter.

Last week, following the Sundance announcement, a rep of Jackson’s estate contacted Deadline to call Leaving Neverland “just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations” against the Thriller singer.

Jonathan Ford, EVP of Sales at Kew Media Distribution, said, “Acquiring the distribution rights for Leaving Neverland reinforces our commitment to providing strong and emotive programming to Kew Media Distribution’s roster of clients around the world. It is a privilege to have secured this unique and extraordinary documentary, by acclaimed, award-winning director Dan Reed, to complement our ever-growing catalogue of high-quality content.”