The music of “Michael” is bringing some drama.
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. “Ray” and “Walk the Line” both competed in, and won, the comedy or musical categories in the mid-2000s. 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. It also made a star of Jaafar Jackson, who had never acted professionally before.
The ruling does not affect the Globes’ broader slate of classification decisions. The awards show has accepted both “Obsession” and “Tender Loving Care” as comedies for consideration.
The 84th Golden Globe nominations will be announced Monday, Dec. 7, and the ceremony, hosted by Nikki Glaser, is set for Sunday, Jan. 10.
Gold Derby first reported this story.
Golden Globes Predictions Tracking
(Oct. 20, 2026)
Best Picture (Drama)
“Artificial” (Neon)
“Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.)
“Fjord” (Neon)
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) ***
“Wildwood” (Laika)
Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
“Club Kid” (A24)
“The Debut” (A24)
“The Invite” (A24)
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
“Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) ***
Actor (Drama)
Matt Damon, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Anthony Ippolito, “I Play Rocky” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Jaafar Jackson, “Michael” (Lionsgate)
Pedro Pascal, “Behemoth!” (Searchlight Pictures)
Andrew Scott, “Elsinore” (Focus Features) ***
John Turturro, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Tom Cruise, “Digger” (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling, “Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
John Malkovich, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) ***
Robert Pattinson, “The Drama” (A24)
Brad Pitt, “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” (Netflix)
Seth Rogen, “The Invite” (A24)
Actress (Drama)
Emily Blunt, “Disclosure Day” (Universal Pictures)
Jeon Do-yeon, “Possible Love” (Netflix)
Rosalind Eleazar, “Misty Green” (A24)
Sandra Hüller, “Rose” (Mubi) ***
Ruth Madeley, “Being Heumann” (Apple Original Films)
Renate Reinsve, “Fjord” (Neon)
Actress (Comedy or Musical)
Marion Bailey, “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
Olivia Colman, “Wicker” (Black Bear Pictures)
Julianne Moore, “The Debut” (A24) ***
Inde Navarrette, “Obsession” (Focus Features)
Olivia Wilde, “The Invite” (A24)
Zendaya, “The Drama” (A24)
Supporting Actor
Colman Domingo, “Michael” (Lionsgate)
Andrew Garfield, “Artificial” (Neon) ***
Guitarricadelafuente, “La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
Paul Giamatti, “The Debut” (A24)
John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, “The Invite” (A24)
Anne Hathaway, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) ***
Sandra Hüller, “Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Scarlett Johansson, “Paper Tiger” (Neon)
Samantha Morton, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Kate O’Flynn, “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street)
Director
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, “La Bola Negra” (Netflix)
Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Martin McDonagh, “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures)
Christopher Nolan, “The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures)
Denis Villeneuve, “Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.) ***
Olivia Wilde, “The Invite” (A24)
Screenplay
“The Debut” (A24) — Jesse Eisenberg
“The Invite” (A24) — Rashida Jones and Will McCormack
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo, Alberto Conejero
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — Christopher Nolan
“Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street) — Mike Leigh
“Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) — Martin McDonagh ***
Original Score
“Behemoth!” (Searchlight Pictures) — The Behemoth! Collective
“Dune: Part Three” (Warner Bros.) — Hans Zimmer
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — Raül Refree
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — Ludwig Göransson
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Daniel Pemberton ***
“Wildwood” (Laika) — Dario Marianelli
Original Song
“The Debut” (A24) — “This City May Have Chewed Me Up (But It Hasn’t Spit Me Out)” (Jesse Eisenberg)
“The Devil Wears Prada 2″ (20th Century Studios) — “Shape of a Woman” (Lady Gaga)
“La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — “La Nieve” (Guitarricadelafuente and Raül Refree)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) — “When I’m Home” (James Blake and Travis Scott)
“Primetime” (A24) — “On Video” (Phoebe Bridgers)
“Toy Story 5” (Pixar) — “I Knew It, I Knew You” (Taylor Swift) ***
Animated Feature
“Hoppers” (Pixar)
“Iron Boy” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Ray Gunn” (Netflix)
“Tangles” (Independent Film Company)
“Toy Story 5″ (Pixar)
“Wildwood” (Laika) ***
International Feature
“Fjord” from Romania (Neon)
“Godzilla Minus Zero” from Japan (GKids)
“La Bola Negra” from Spain (Netflix) ***
“Minotaur” from France (Mubi)
“Possible Love” from South Korea (Netflix)
“Woman Unknown” from Denmark (U.S. Distributor TBD)
Box Office and Cinematic Achievement
“Backrooms” (A24)
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” (20th Century Studios)
“Michael” (Lionsgate)
“Obsession” (Focus Features)
“The Odyssey” (Universal Pictures) ***
“Project Hail Mary” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (Sony Pictures)
“Toy Story 5” (Pixar)
Variety parent company Penske Media Corporation owns Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Prods. in a joint venture with Eldridge.