Howard Mann, who co-authored Katherine Jackson’s coffee table book, Never Can Say Goodbye, is also producing a movie that will feature videos from Michael Jackson’s childhood through the end of his life.

HHUCIT was told Katherine has hundreds of hours of video material, including the family’s big move from Gary, Indiana to L.A. after The Jackson 5 signed with Motown.

Furthermore reports say that Mann just bought the rights to 26 hours of Michael Jackson video footage, which is owned by Michael’s former business partner/confidant Marc Schaffel. Mann has paid Schaffel in the eight figures for the material.

The problem is that the Michael Jackson estate has the exclusive right to market MJ’s name and image. But Mann and his company are comfortable with their legal position because the beneficiaries of the estate — Katherine and Michael’s kids — are profiting participants in the movie. In fact, Mann told TMZ that he and Katherine plan on releasing a series of movies.

The estate would not comment, but as far as our research shows, there’s no loophole when it comes to marketing Michael Jackson’s name and image — whether Katherine and the kids are beneficiaries or not.