‘Michael Jackson: The Verdict’ Sets A Rotten Tomatoes Record On Netflix

InnovationGaming‘Michael Jackson: The Verdict’ Sets A Rotten Tomatoes Record On NetflixByPaul Tassi,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. News and opinion about video games, television, movies and the internet.Follow AuthorJun 11, 2026, 10:28am EDTSANTA MARIA, CA - DECEMBER 3: Singer Michael Jackson testifies during his civil trial in Santa Maria Superior Court on December 3, 2002 in Santa Maria, California. The artist is being sued for $21 million by his longtime promoter for backing out of two concerts. (Photo by Jim Ruyman-Pool/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIf you wanted to see just how polarizing a figure Michael Jackson is, look no further than two recent, high-profile projects covering the life and death of the famed musician. One is a recent hit movie, the other a popular but savaged documentary, setting a Rotten Tomatoes record for Netflix.The first project, of course, is Michael, the biopic about the singer, where Jackson is played by his real-life nephew, Jafar Jackson. The movie received poor reviews from critics, with a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, but an extremely high, possibly year-best, 97% audience score. That’s helped the film go on to make $890 million so far this year, making it the second-highest-earning film of 2026 so far, just behind the Super Mario Galaxy Movie.Now, Netflix’s documentary series, Michael Jackson: The Verdict, has produced the opposite result. Unlike the film, the three-part documentary focuses on the molestation accusations and trial of Jackson, debating whether or not he was guilty with a number of interviews with experts and people involved.The result is a solid 78% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics, but a 7% from audiences. Yes, that’s a 7%, single digits. Jackson fans accuse the documentary of being sensational and light on the facts, and as such, have tanked its score. As it stands, this appears to be the lowest-rated audience-scored documentary in Netflix history, below proje...