A 25th anniversary edition reissue of the Bad album was also released on September 18, 2012, sharing the same name as the film.

The film was first screened at the 69th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2012[1][2] and was shown for a limited time in New York and Los Angeles theaters on October 19, 2012.

A 90-minute edited version of the film, running for 64 minutes without commercials,[4] premiered in North America on ABC on November 22, 2012.

[8] The film includes behind the scenes clips of the recording session of Jackson's seventh studio album, Bad.

It also features various people that had worked with Jackson during the Bad era (1986–1989) talking about the production of the album and the tour, acting or starring in some of Jackson's Bad singles and music videos including Sheryl Crow who was the duet partner with Jackson on the Bad World Tour for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", Siedah Garrett, the original duet artist, talks about her experience with Jackson and many others.