The eight remaining Jackson kids vary a lot in fame and talent, so it’s tough to get them all together for a series of gigs without running into complaints about different pay scales, air time, and perks. Janet, the only other Jackson who seems to have a solid career as a solo artist, will reportedly make $4 million if she does the tour. Compare that to Rebbie, who’s stuck with a comparatively paltry $250,000.

Will money and fame tear this family apart, or can they keep it together to pull off this tour? The Daily Beast has more:

The latest point of contention, these associates say, is a 10-city U.S. “Jackson Family Reunion Tour” involving all of Michael’s siblings. The Daily Beast has obtained a proposal from New Jersey-based AllGood Entertainment, a concert promoter that claimed it had a similar concert plan in place in June when it sued Michael for allegedly breaching that agreement, and my sources confirm that the Jackson family is seriously considering this new offer. The guaranteed collective payday for the clan: more than $12 million, including a $1 million advance upon acceptance. And it indicates that this new grouping—call it the Jackson 8—will have Janet fronting in her big brother’s place.

The biggest holdup with a concert tour, or other deals, are sibling rivalries, as each brother and sister weighs individual deals, while family matriarch Katherine Jackson preaches for a long-term family-size agreement which will provide security for everyone. The details of the proposed pay split among the family members illuminates both the opportunities for the surviving Jacksons following their famous brother’s death and their competing—and not equal—prospects.

The tour pay scale in the proposal is specifically broken out as follows:

Janet Jackson — $4 million
Jermaine Jackson — $1.5 million
Jackie Jackson — $1.5 million
Randy Jackson — $1.5 million
Marlon Jackson — $1.5 million
Tito Jackson — $1.5 million
La Toya Jackson — $500,000
Rebbie Jackson — $250,000

The Guardian reports that the insurance policy for Jackson’s planned 50-show concert covered a lot of things, like cancellation due to death, but it did not cover illicit drug use. So, if the tox reports show that Jackson had illegal drugs in his system, the Jackson estate won’t be able to cash in on the huge policy. Apparently, the insurers knew about Jackson’s history with prescription drug use. This could be a huge blow for the Jackson estate, which is still wading through the huge sums of debt that Michael Jackson accumulated while he was alive.

The insurance policy for Michael Jackson’s cancelled O2 residency will not apply if the late star is found to have taken illegal drugs, the Associated Press has confirmed. Though the policy covers cancellation resulting from death, the insurers are exempted if Jackson was involved in the possession or “illicit taking of drugs”.

The policy’s payout of millions of pounds may therefore hinge on Jackson’s autopsy results, which have twice been delayed. There are numerous reports linking Jackson’s alleged use of propofol, a powerful anaesthetic, with his death on 25 June.

According to the Associated Press, Jackson and AEG Live took out the insurance policy in April. The document only covers the first 13 gigs in the epic 50-show run – bolstering reports that promoters had been unable to insure the full residency. A March estimate showed the 50 concerts required more than £300m in insurance cover.

(Guardian)

But the media giant that’s made the biggest bet is Sony Pictures, which reportedly has shelled out close to $60 million for the rights to 80 or so hours of rehearsal footage from the singer’s “This Is It” tour concert. The footage is being edited into a concert film, also tentatively titled “This Is It,” which will hit theaters on Oct. 30. No one from Sony is talking, since the final details of the deal are still in negotiation. But insiders say the lion’s share of the profits from the film will go to Jackson’s estate.

Sony gets its cut from the studio’s distribution fee on the film, though the studio also has to foot the bill for the marketing costs of the release. On the other hand, Sony has worldwide rights for the film, which extend through the movie’s ancillary life, from its theatrical release into what are normally lucrative home video and pay and free TV windows. According to insiders, Sony’s distribution fee is slightly above 10%, with escalator clauses in the deal providing the studio with a bigger cut if the film performs better at the box office.

Is it a good deal for Sony? The simple answer is: Nobody knows. There’s really no precedent for the Jackson death mania, so its impossible to say whether it will spur millions of fans to pay $11 to see footage of his tour rehearsals a full four months after he’s died…

The company had a $17 million insurance policy that covered an accidental death, which it might be able to claim, Mr. Phillips said. And he expected only 40 to 50 percent of fans to redeem their tickets for a refund, substantially reducing the company’s potential losses. AEG Live also owns the rights to audio and high-definition video that was created at the rehearsals, which Mr. Phillips said could earn millions. (source)

As long as Phillips’ estimation of nostalgic fans is correct, sales of rehearsal film footage could provide a huge financial boost for his company.

The video represents some of the only footage documenting Jackson’s final days. This project was on top of the planned 50-concert comeback tour in London.

The production could be the last video piece from the singer known for creating some of the most acclaimed, elaborate music videos in history. While details on the project are hard to come by due to confidentiality agreements signed by those who worked on it, two unnamed sources with knowledge of its existence spoke to the AP.

According to these sources, the five-week project was housed at Culver Studios in Los Angeles — the same set used for “Gone With the Wind” production 70 years ago. Jackson was said to be on set for most of the days it was shot, from June 1-9. Four sets were constructed for the video, including a cemetery similar to the one from the singer’s famous 1983 “Thriller” video. Other sets included one draped in black with an oversized portrait of Jackson in his “Thriller” werewolf costume, a simulated lush jungle and a fake construction site.

Read the rest here. Expect to see the completed project after it goes through post-production next month.

Various ticket agencies that were responsible for selling Jackson’s This Is It tour tickets have been bombarded with questions from concerned fans. Will they get their money back for the sold-out concert event? The 50-concert tour was supposed to be Michael Jackson’s career revival, but those plans came to an abrupt halt Thursday as the star died unexpectedly.

CBC news has more:

Concert promoter and producer AEG Live had been scheduled to host Jackson’s 50-concert residency at London’s O2 arena beginning July 13.

A statement on AEG Live’s website on Friday said “full ticket refund information and procedures will be released early next week” for all ticket holders.

“Fans are advised to hold onto their ticket vouchers/proof of purchase,” the statement said.

Billed as the singer’s farewell performance, with an estimated cost of $20 million US to stage, the This Is It series quickly sold out after 750,000 fans rushed to snap up tickets.

AEG representatives have said in interviews that Britons purchased about 90 per cent of the concert tickets, while fans from other countries purchased the balance.

Ticketmaster, estimated to have sold more than half of the tickets, released a statement saying the company “is aware of the news relating to Michael Jackson. We have no official information at this stage.”