Michael Jackson sues auction house for sale plans

Michael Jackson sued an auction house Wednesday to halt the scheduled sale of thousands of his personal possessions, an action the firm says caught it completely off-guard.

The King of Pop's company, MJJ Productions, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday against Julien's Auction House. It claims founder Darren Julien promised to send Jackson an inventory of sale items, but that the singer hasn't given permission to move them all.

The suit claims many of the items are "priceless and irreplaceable" and describes the attempt to sell them as "malicious, fraudulent, extreme, outrageous and without any legal justification whatsoever."

Julien said Wednesday night that the lawsuit was a "total surprise to us, because Jackson had been apprised of everything since the day we started. His manager ... has approved everything."

In December, Julien's company announced it would administer a five-day auction in April featuring more than 2,000 of Jackson's personal items, including his American Music Award for "Thriller," a velvet cape given to him by his children for Father's Day in 1998, a pair of rhinestone-trimmed socks from 1981 and a basketball signed by Michael Jordan.

Platinum and gold records, a customized Harley Davidson, a Rolls Royce limousine and his own original artwork were also set for sale, according to the original announcement.

MJJ Productions authorized the auction house to remove the items from Jackson's Neverland Ranch, according to court documents, but not to sell them without Jackson's permission.

"There was no other intention when we picked up the items" but to put them up for sale, Julien said. He said that Jackson's camp had since requested some items be returned, which the firm honored.

"Up until two days ago we were working with his managers," including final details such as a date for the catalog to be ready and signed, he added.

Julien, who is in Ireland on a promotional trip and had not been served with the lawsuit, said he would be getting in touch with the Jackson camp before deciding what to do next.

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Michael Jackson expected to announce comeback in UK

U.S. pop star Michael Jackson will be in London this week to make a "special announcement," representatives said Tuesday, and industry sources said it is likely to involve a series of comeback concerts in the city.

Outside Organization, the music PR company which represents Jackson in Britain, has sent an emailed invitation to a press conference at the O2 arena in London, where the concerts are likely to take place probably later this year.

Jackson and representatives from music promoter AEG Live are expected to attend the Thursday event.

The 50-year-old last appeared at the World Music Awards in London in 2006, but the much-hyped return of one of the biggest pop acts of all time was a critical flop after he sang only a few lines of "We Are The World."

The man behind "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, has generally kept a low profile since his acquittal in 2005 of child sex abuse charges.

He has recently been living in luxury rented accommodation in Los Angeles after spending time in Las Vegas, Ireland and Dubai since the trial.

Rumors and reports of record deals and live comebacks, as well as numerous health problems, have been rife in recent years.

British bookmaker William Hill is already offering odds that Jackson will not turn up for the run of concerts he is expected to perform at the O2 arena.

Jackson's record label Sony did not have any immediate comment.

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Michael Jackson's Thriller planned for the stage

Producer James L. Nederlander says he has acquired the rights for a stage version of Michael Jackson's iconic music-video spoof of horror films. The show will include songs from two of the pop king's best-selling albums, "Thriller" and "Off the Wall."

"The Nederlanders and Michael Jackson represent live theater and musical excellence, so let the music begin," Tohme Tohme, a spokesman for Jackson, said Monday in a statement.

"I love the idea of making 'Thriller' a musical. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, boy has big secret, now what?" said Nederlander, head of the company that owns nine Broadway theaters.

No word yet on who will write the book for the show or what songs will be included in the production, or who will direct and choreograph. - AP