Tavis Smiley & J.J. Abrams Are Creating A TV Series Based On Michael Jackson's Final Days

It appears there's no shortage of directors looking to adapt some portion of Michael Jackson's life to a screen, big or small. Months ago, we learned that Tavis Smiley's new book, Before You Judge Me: The Triumph And Tragedy of Michael Jackson’s Last Days (out today,)would serve as source material for a new TV treatment on MJ's final moments on this mortal coil. Today, we learn that sci-fi bigwig, J.J. Abrams has signed on to co-produce the project along with Smiley, Ben Stephenson and David Brewington.

The new adaptation would mark the third to come from a Smiley-penned book, with separate projects being developed from Smiley's books on Martin Luther King Jr. (Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Final Year) and Maya Angelou (My Journey With Maya.) No date or production schedule have been established for the series, but we imagine they'll be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. Rick & Morty co-creator, Dan Harmon, also has his hands in the MJ legend, reportedly working on a biopic treatment of the life and times of Bubbles, Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee. Pick up your copy of Tavis Smiley's new book today on Amazon today.

h/t Variety