A new Michael Jackson television project is coming this fall, and this one promises something fans have been waiting for: never-before-seen visuals and personal stories from someone who knew Michael and the Jackson family for decades.
POLARIS has unveiled the first teaser for The Greatest Stories Never Told, a new television project created with Steve Manning, a longtime Jackson family confidant whose relationship with the family stretched across approximately four decades.
Perhaps most importantly, the project has been officially co-signed by the Michael Jackson Estate.
That Estate involvement is particularly notable at a time when numerous Michael Jackson documentaries and projects continue to emerge, each offering its own interpretation of his life and career.
According to POLARIS, The Greatest Stories Never Told was in development long before the upcoming Michael biopic and is being created specifically with Michael’s core fan audience in mind.
“This isn’t another familiar retelling,” POLARIS said when announcing the project, describing it instead as a personal look at Michael’s life, humanity and spirit through the eyes of someone who personally knew him.
From fan club founder to family insider
Steve Manning’s connection to Michael Jackson goes back much further than Michael’s solo superstardom.
At just 15 years old, Manning established the official Jackson 5 Fan Club from his mother’s apartment in Harlem. His enthusiasm eventually attracted the attention of major figures at Motown, including Berry Gordy and Suzanne de Passe.
By the mid-1970s, however, Manning was no longer simply a fan.
He became part of the Jackson family’s inner circle, living with the family, working as a publicist and travelling internationally with The Jacksons. His relationship with the family continued through some of the most important periods of Michael’s career.
That includes the Jacksons’ transition from Motown to Epic Records, Michael’s starring role in The Wiz and the creation and release of Off the Wall, the album that established Michael as a major solo superstar.
It is this firsthand experience that will form the basis of the new project.
POLARIS says the series will feature untold stories and never-before-seen visuals connected to the Jackson family dynasty, providing a perspective from someone who was present during moments that helped shape Michael’s career.
The Estate connection
The description of the project as “officially co-signed by the Michael Jackson Estate” is arguably one of the most interesting aspects for fans.
While the wording does not necessarily mean that the Estate produced the project, its stated endorsement gives The Greatest Stories Never Told a significant distinction from many independent productions about Michael.
MJVibe has contacted the Michael Jackson Estate directly to verify the claim and confirm whether the project has been officially approved or endorsed by the Estate. We will update this article should the Estate provide confirmation.
For fans who have seen numerous documentaries, interviews and retrospective projects over the years, the involvement of the Estate is likely to raise expectations about the material being presented and the access behind it.
The project also arrives at a particularly interesting moment for Michael Jackson.
Following the enormous success of the Michael biopic, which crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide, public interest in Michael’s music, career and personal story has once again reached new heights.
Yet The Greatest Stories Never Told appears determined to take a different route.
Rather than revisiting only the most familiar moments of Michael’s life, it promises to explore the person behind the superstar through the memories of someone who was there long before the Thriller era and remained connected to the Jackson family for decades.
“We believe this will be the most authentic and essential Michael Jackson project released yet,” POLARIS said.
That is certainly a big claim.
But with Steve Manning’s extraordinary history with the Jackson family, a promise of previously unseen material and, crucially, the project being officially co-signed by the Michael Jackson Estate, The Greatest Stories Never Told is certainly one for fans to keep an eye on.
The project is currently expected to arrive this fall, with further details expected to be announced soon.
