The Golden Globes have rejected Michael’s bid to compete as a musical/comedy, which pushes the film into the Best Drama race against The Odyssey. The biopic arrived with more than $1 billion at the global box office and the title of highest-grossing biopic ever, so a genre label seemed like the easy part. Awards season loves paperwork almost as much as it loves red carpets, and the paperwork has now spoken up.

While a genre label sounds minor, it decides which rivals a film must beat, and Michael just inherited a tougher guest list.

Gold Derby revealed that Lionsgate submitted Michael as a musical/comedy, but the Golden Globes committee rejected the request. The decision pushes Jaafar Jackson’s biopic into the drama category, where it could face stiff competition from The Odyssey. Awards rules define a musical as a film where songs, alongside spoken dialogue, drive the plot forward. According to sources, committee members felt the musical performances in Michael did not meet that criterion. Jaafar Jackson, who has the strongest chance of an acting nomination, must now compete for a Best Drama Actor spot.

Lionsgate is still debating an appeal before the October 31 deadline, and the committee would review it. Gold Derby noted that the Globes usually follow the studio preference, yet the rules tightened after Ray and Walk the Line won as musicals. Since then, A Complete Unknown, Elvis, and Bohemian Rhapsody all entered as dramas. Supporting actors such as Colman Domingo face no change, because the Globes do not split them by genre.

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As Michael prepares to chase drama trophies, its star is already looking past the awards toward a sequel that heads into heavier territory.

Jaafar Jackson told GQ Middle East that Michael 2 will offer greater insight into the criticism and child a**** allegations Michael Jackson faced during the 1990s. The first film ends with the 1987 release of 'Bad,' which sits well before the first public allegations arrived in 1993. That leaves the sequel plenty of ground to cover. Jackson also wants the film to give his uncle a chance to share his own perspective.

Jackson admits he has little control over the screenplay, yet he sees the sequel as a chance to examine the later years in depth. The family has long felt that outside stories about the singer carry an agenda and leave his own voice unheard. Jackson also hopes the film keeps the humanity he believes stayed at the center of his uncle. Before Michael 2 gets its turn, the first film still has to survive a drama race with The Odyssey.

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What are your thoughts on Michael facing The Odyssey in the drama race? Let us know in the comments.