When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a temporary rule allowing films that went to streaming or PVOD before theaters to qualify for the Oscars, there was a sigh of relief among producers and moviegoers alike. It meant films such affected by the coronavirus pandemic such as “Trolls,” “Shirley” and “Hamilton” would be eligible for the 93rd Academy Awards. Well, yes and no.
REVIEW: “Hamilton” is as powerful as ever on Disney Plus
The Academy confirmed to The Playlist that “Hamilton,” which debuted on Disney Plus this past holiday weekend, is not one of those films. The Thomas Kail directed version of the Tony Award-winning musical may have blown away critics and viewers alike but it does not meet the Academy’s standards for either the narrative or documentary categories. And, yes, as a filmed version of a stage production the Academy considers it a documentary first.
The rule is as follows: “Works that are essentially promotional or instructional are not eligible, nor are works that are essentially unfiltered records of performances.” And you really have to search to find it in the Academy’s 38-page rulebook. While it’s Oscar hopes are dashed, it doesn’t mean the Emmys are out of the picture.
The Lin-Manuel Miranda wonder won’t qualify until next year’s Emmy race, but it could qualify in categories such as Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, among others.
And with Hollywood holding off on releasing major films before theaters are back up to capacity around the world, it means the current crop of major Oscar players are still waiting in the wings.
“Hamilton” is currently available worldwide on Disney Plus.
Editor-at-Large Gregory Ellwood is one of the entertainment industry's most respected journalists and critics. Based in Los Angeles, he's the only current awards expert who previously worked on Oscar campaigns at a major movie studio. Over the years, he has written for the LA Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Vox, among others. He also co-founded the entertainment news site HitFix, which spawned a legion of influential Emmy and WGA Award-winning alumni.
