The Golden Globes just made a call that changes the whole awards conversation around Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic that already smashed records at the box office. Lionsgate asked the Globes committee to classify the film as a musical or comedy for the 2027 ceremony, but the committee said no, ruling that the film’s musical performances don’t further the plot enough to qualify under their rules. That decision pushes the $1.029 billion hit, the first biopic ever to cross a billion worldwide, into the best motion picture drama race.
And that race is absolutely loaded. Michael will go up against Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, which is about as tough as it gets. The classification could also complicate Jaafar Jackson’s best actor chances, since drama categories are traditionally more competitive than musical or comedy. Supporting players Colman Domingo and Nia Long catch a break, though, because those categories aren’t split by genre.
Lionsgate technically has until Oct. 31 to appeal, but sources say that’s unlikely to happen. Golden Globe nominations are announced Dec. 7, with Nikki Glaser hosting the ceremony on Jan. 10. So the real question now is whether the year’s biggest box office story can survive the drama bracket. Where do you land: should Michael have been classified as a musical, or did the Globes get it right?
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.