Here's why the Disney+ production isn't eligible for Best Documentary.
Next year's Oscars' ceremony will not be the room where it happens, if what's happening is Disney+'s Hamilton movie winning an Academy Award.
In these exceedingly unprecedented times, fans of the Broadway musical were left wondering if the Academy's rule change allowing streaming films to be eligible for the 2021 ceremony meant that Hamilton could sneak in. (After all, as the adjusted rule stipulates, the filmed version was originally slated to open in theaters.)
The answer, as it stands, is no. According to the 93rd Academy Awards Special Rules for the Documentary Awards, "Works that are essentially promotional or instructional are not eligible, nor are works that are essentially unfiltered records of performances."
But what about Give 'em Hell, Harry, fans will surely rebut, citing the recorded stage play that earned a Best Actor nomination for James Whitmore in 1976? According to Variety, the language barring recorded stage production was added in 1997.
So, unless the Academy amends that bit in time for the 2021 Oscars, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda -- who serves as a producer on the filmed version -- will have to complete his EGOT another way. Until then, he can ease his woes with his Emmy, GRAMMYs and Tonys.
Hamilton is currently streaming on Disney+, while the 93rd Oscars were recently postponed two months and are set to take place April 25, 2021.
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