Judge George Wu is leaning towards letting the Michael Jackson estate take HBO to arbitration over Leaving Neverland. According to the Jackson estate, Leaving Neverland violated a non-disparagement agreement from 1992, when the network aired Jackson’s Dangerous tour doc. HBO argued the 26-year-old contract was no longer applicable. They moved to dismiss the case under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which discourages frivolous lawsuits designed to chill free speech on public issues. “It was filed to chill speech,†HBO attorney Theodore Boutrous argued in court, as reported by Variety. “It was filed to tell the world, ‘Don’t talk about child sex abuse.’… A company like HBO may be able to fight back and move forward. Others might not be able to do that.†For now, Judge Wu has ruled that since the suit asks to go into arbitration, the anti-SLAPP statute doesn’t apply. His final ruling is expected by month’s end. He acknowledges that whatever he decides will most likely be appealed: “You’re a big company, they’re a wealthy estate,†he said. “It’s a clash of the titans.â€