Do Biopics Have a Double Standard? How ‘Michael’ Could Overcome Bad Reviews and See Awards Prospects for Jaafar Jackson

Apr 25, 2026 11:00am PT Do Biopics Have a Double Standard? How ‘Michael’ Could Overcome Bad Reviews and See Awards Prospects for Jaafar Jackson

By Clayton Davis

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Clayton Davis

Senior Awards Editor

byClaytonDavis

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The verdict on “Michael” is in, and it is blunt.

A 38% Rotten Tomatoes score has landed with a familiar critique: The film avoids the most controversial chapters of Michael Jackson’s life. But with a projected $85 million or more global opening, the film has secured its place in the cultural zeitgeist, and the harsh reviews it suffered won’t doom its awards prospects.

Despite the critical lashing, the audience score has been propped up by faithful fans and is sitting at 96%. It’s worth going over some recent awards history to contextualize those numbers. Adam McKay’s allegorical satire “Don’t Look Up” (2021) was deemed rotten by critics, with a 55% Tomatometer, but earned an audience score of 78%. The film went on to land four Oscar nominations, including best picture and original screenplay. The Academy has nominated other movies with low critical consensus for best picture, including “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (2011).

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