The Golden Globes have denied Lionsgate’s bid to have its Michael Jackson biopic Michael compete in the comedy or musical category, Variety confirmed, with the news first reported by Gold Derby. The decision places the film, starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, into the drama category, where it will compete for one of six available slots against films including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Los Javis’ La Bola Negra.
Here’s how the ruling actually worked:
- Under Globes procedure, submitting against type, meaning a film seeking a classification that wouldn’t typically apply, requires a letter from the director explaining the request. Director Antoine Fuqua’s letter was included with the submission
- Globes rules define a musical as a film in which songs are used “in addition to spoken dialogue to further the plot,” not simply as standalone performances
- The committee determined that Michael‘s musical sequences function as recreations of Jackson’s concert performances rather than devices that advance the story
- The ruling can still be appealed before the October 31 submission deadline, though sources say that’s unlikely
That distinction has shaped how the Globes classify musical biopics for years. Ray and Walk the Line both competed in and won the musical/comedy category in the mid-2000s, prompting a rule tightening that pushed Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, and A Complete Unknown all into drama in the years since. Inside Llewyn Davis remains a notable exception, having been accepted in the comedy category.
The reclassification could meaningfully affect Jaafar Jackson’s path to a Best Actor nomination, since the drama field is widely considered more competitive than musical/comedy. It has no effect on the film’s supporting cast, since the Globes don’t separate those categories by genre, leaving Colman Domingo and Nia Long, who play Joe and Katherine Jackson, unaffected by the ruling.
Fuqua’s film became the first biopic in history to surpass $1 billion worldwide, grossing $1.029 billion, $117 million ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody, the previous record-holder among music biopics, and stands as Lionsgate’s biggest release ever. Nearly two-thirds of that total came from outside the U.S. and Canada; domestically, it grossed $373.3 million, placing it fifth for the year behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, Toy Story 5, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The 84th Golden Globe nominations will be announced December 7, with the ceremony, hosted by Nikki Glaser, set for January 10.