The Golden Globe Awards will introduce two new categories to its upcoming January broadcast, Variety has learned exclusively. The categories will honor hit movies with global reach in either box office or streaming views, as well as acknowledge the best performance in a stand-up comedy special.
The first new prize is the Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. Eligible nominees will be among the year’s highest-earning or most-seen feature films that also deliver creative excellence.
Titles must have grossed at least $150 million during release, $100 million of which must have come from domestic box office. Streaming films with commensurate viewership will be considered based on data from “recognized industry sources,” the Globes said. Eight films will be eligible for that prize, and can also compete for categories like Best Motion Picture Drama or Comedy as long as they meet criteria for those fields.
The second new category, Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television, recognizes outstanding work from a comic in a traditional stand-up format (or as a breakout comic in a troupe or ensemble). Comedy specials airing on broadcast, basic and premium cable, streaming and pay-per-view cable will considered. Projects must have a recognized distributor and individual social media accounts will not be eligible.
“The Golden Globes has a rich history of supporting and celebrating the work of comedians, and we’re thrilled to honor their brilliance alongside outstanding motion picture and television performances of the year,” said Golden Globes president Helen Hoehne. “Additionally, we are proud to recognize the hard work and innovation that goes into making a film that is both a blockbuster and artistically exceptional.”
Former Variety editor and current Golden Globes executive vice president Tim Gray added that blockbuster movies “have typically not been recognized among industry awards, but they should be.”
The telecast will air January 7. Read the full eligibility rules for the new Golden Globes categories:
Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
The Cinematic and Box Office Achievement includes nominees from the year’s most acclaimed, highest-earning and/or most viewed films that have garnered extensive global audience support and attained cinematic excellence.
Eligibility:
• Motion pictures are eligible for the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award if they achieve a box office receipt total/gross of $150 million, of which $100 million must come from the U.S. domestic box office, and/or obtain commensurate digital streaming viewership recognized by trusted industry sources.
•Films that are released after November 22 up until the end of the year may qualify based on projected box office performance and/or digital streaming views from trusted industry sources.
• Cinematic and Box Office Achievement contenders can also be considered for Best Motion Picture in their respective categories, i.e., Drama, Comedy or Musical, Animated or Non-English Language if they meet the eligibility requirements for each of those awards.
• Box office and streaming views will determine eligibility; once a film meets the box office-related qualifying criteria or streaming criteria, Golden Globes voters will determine the nominees and winner based on excellence.
• A total of 8 nominees will be named for this category.
Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television (also known as Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television)
This new category gives standups a dedicated award for an individual performance or as part of a comedy group/ensemble.
Eligibility:
• Traditional stand-up comedy performances of at least 30 minutes, other than roles in Television Series, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Pictures Made for Television, are eligible for this award.
• Television includes works released by broadcast, basic and premium cable, streaming, and pay-per-view cable. To be eligible for Golden Globe awards, television programs must be released on a recognized media platform (individual social media accounts do not qualify).
• Only programs first aired (or made available for viewing on demand) in the United States during the qualifying calendar year are eligible.
• A total of 6 nominees will be named for this category.
From Variety US