‘Michael’ Hits a Golden Globes Roadblock as Biopic Is Denied a Musical/Comedy Shot

Few movies have had a year like ‘Michael‘. Antoine Fuqua’s biopic opened on April 24 and went on to become Lionsgate’s biggest release ever, and the first biopic in history to pass $1 billion worldwide. It eventually finished its theatrical run at roughly $1.029 billion, overtaking ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ along the way. With numbers like that, the question was never whether ‘Michael’ would be part of awards season, only how it would be positioned.

That success came with a split reaction. Critics were largely unimpressed, and the film holds a 38% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences gave it a 97% score. Even so, Jaafar Jackson’s performance as his uncle drew widespread praise, and analysts began pointing to the Golden Globes as a natural early stop for his campaign.

Now the Golden Globes have weighed in on the category question. The awards committee rejected Lionsgate’s bid to have ‘Michael’ compete in the Musical or Comedy category at the next ceremony, a decision first reported by Gold Derby and confirmed by Variety. The film is now slated for the drama categories instead.

The ruling came despite some effort by the studio. Under Globes procedure, a film submitting in a category that goes against the grain needs a letter from its director, and Fuqua provided one. The organization reviewed the request and denied it anyway.

The reasoning appears to come down to the rulebook. The Globes define a musical as a film where songs, alongside spoken dialogue, help drive the plot forward, and the committee reportedly felt that the performances in ‘Michael’ don’t meet that standard.

The change puts ‘Michael’ into a far more crowded field. In the drama categories, it would compete for one of six available slots against Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, Los Javis’ ‘La Bola Negra’ and more. For Jackson, it means a push for a Best Drama Actor nomination, a race that one outlet described as stiff.

Fans and commentators have noted that the line between genres isn’t always consistent. ‘Ray’ and ‘Walk the Line’ won in the comedy or musical races back in the mid-2000s, and ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ also secured a comedy classification. One commentator pointed out that a flat-out terrifying horror movie, ‘Obsession’, just got into the Musical/Comedy category while the King of Pop’s story was turned away.

Others see the verdict as strict enforcement of the guidelines rather than a snub. The musical category has a clear definition, and a biopic built around recreated concert performances doesn’t automatically satisfy it. Either way, the studio loses what could have been an easier path to a nomination.

The decision doesn’t end ‘Michael’s’ campaign. Variety’s awards analysts previously argued that harsh reviews wouldn’t doom its prospects, since critics are not awards voters and plenty of acclaimed contenders have had critical issues. Lionsgate has also been pushing the film hard, with an FYC screening at the DGA reportedly drawing a standing ovation from a room full of voters.

The film’s backers can also point to its supporting cast. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, and Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson, with Long’s co-stars praising the transformation Jaafar Jackson underwent for the role. Whether any of that translates into nominations remains to be seen.

His story begins. The official trailer for MICHAEL – in theaters and IMAX April 24. https://t.co/DfGJNcuXU2

— Michael (@michaelmovie) February 2, 2026

The calendar is now the next factor. Nominations for the 84th Golden Globes will be announced on December 7, and the ceremony is scheduled for January 10, hosted by Nikki Glaser. Meanwhile, Lionsgate has confirmed a sequel is in development, so the franchise has plenty of life regardless of how this season shakes out.

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