Variety has confirmed that Lionsgate’s bid to have its Michael Jackson biopic compete as a comedy or musical at the Golden Globes has been denied. The Golden Globes’ decision means the film, starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, is currently slated for the drama categories where it would compete for one of the six available slots against Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” Los Javis’ “La Bola Negra” and more. The supporting actor and actress categories do not separate by genre, so this has no effect on his co-stars Colman Domingo and Nia Long.
Lionsgate can appeal the ruling ahead of the Oct. 31 submission deadline. If the studio moves forward, the organization’s awards committee would evaluate the appeal. According to the Golden Globes rules, it states: “A musical can be a comedy or a drama in which songs are used in addition to spoken dialogue to further the plot.” Under Globes procedure, when a film submits in a category that goes against the grain, or one in which it would not typically be accepted, a letter from the director is required to proceed.
That letter, from “Michael” director Antoine Fuqua, was included with the studio’s submission. The organization reviewed the request and denied it anyway. An appeal may still be possible before the Oct. 31 submission deadline, but sources have shared that it will likely not be pursued.
Lionsgate declined to comment. Musical biopics have long been tricky to classify at the Globes. Those victories prompted a rule change requiring that songs propel the narrative rather than appear as standalone performances.
In other words, music alone is no longer enough to qualify a film as a musical. By that standard, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Elvis,” and “A Complete Unknown” were all submitted as dramas in the years since. One notable exception: “Inside Llewyn Davis,” the Coen brothers’ story of a folk singer struggling for success in 1961, was permitted to compete as a comedy during its respective year.
That same distinction appears to have decided the fate of “Michael.” Jackson performs many of his uncle’s biggest hits in the film. Still, the organization evidently viewed those sequences as re-creations of Michael Jackson’s performances rather than as integral storytelling devices. Fuqua’s film, which opened April 24, became the first biopic in history to surpass $1 billion at the worldwide box office and is Lionsgate’s biggest release ever.
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