Golden Globes Deny Michael a Musical or Comedy Slot, Sending It to Drama
The Michael Jackson biopic Michael will compete as a drama at the 2027 Golden Globes, after the awards committee turned down a request from its distributor, Lionsgate, to enter it as a musical or comedy. Billboard reported the decision on Oct. 20, 2026. Gold Derby first reported the denial as an exclusive.
The Golden Globes have a rule for musicals. A film can count as one if its songs move the story forward. The committee ruled that the musical performances in Michael did not do enough to drive the narrative, so the film did not qualify for that category. The committee asked that it compete in best motion picture drama instead.
Lionsgate can appeal before the Oct. 31 submission deadline. Sources told Billboard that an appeal is unlikely.
The change matters most for the lead. Jaafar Jackson plays Michael Jackson in his first film role. Drama acting races are generally seen as more competitive than those in the musical or comedy field, so the move could make a best actor nomination harder to win. The Golden Globes do not divide supporting acting awards by genre, so Colman Domingo and Nia Long are not affected in that way.
Music biopics have landed in both places before. Ray, the Ray Charles film, was nominated in the musical or comedy category in 2004. Walk the Line, about Johnny Cash, won that category the following year. Bohemian Rhapsody won best motion picture drama in 2018, and Elvis was nominated in that same category in 2022.
The box office is the other side of the story. Michael opened in theaters on April 24 and grossed $373.3 million in the United States and Canada. That ranks fifth for the year so far. Worldwide, it has taken $1.029 billion, making it the first biopic to pass the $1 billion mark. That is $117 million more than Bohemian Rhapsody, the previous record-holder among music biopics. Nearly two-thirds of its ticket sales came from outside the United States and Canada.
Nominations for the 84th Golden Globe Awards are due on Monday, Dec. 7. The ceremony is set for Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027, and will be hosted by Nikki Glaser.
The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions. That company is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Penske Media, which is also the parent company of Billboard.
