Despite the academy's initial ruling, Disney may be able to get Hamilton onto the Oscar nomination list for 2021 after all. Ever since its Broadway debut in 2015, Hamilton has managed to break through the mainstream barrier that many other theatrical productions are never able to pass and become a cultural phenomenon. The musical won 11 Tony Awards and sold out night after night. Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda ran with the hype and recorded live performances to be shown in theaters for all to see in 2021. However, with the pandemic putting Broadway on pause, Miranda wanted to bring Broadway to people's homes and pushed up the premiere to July 3rd, 2020 on Disney+.

Now that Hamilton is a Disney property, the entertainment giant quickly realized that the recorded production could be its ticket to Oscar success. Disney planned on submitting Hamilton to the Oscars under the documentary category. However, Hamilton violates multiple Oscar qualifications making it ineligible. The Academy considers the recorded performance of Hamilton as promotion for the Broadway production and goes against its rule banning "promotional" and "instructional" works. Additionally, the Academy bans "works that are essentially unfiltered records of performances.” This hasn't stopped Disney from trying.

Related: Hamilton True Story: What Did Lin-Manuel Miranda Change?

According to Vanity Fair, Disney still plans on submitting Hamilton for the 2021 Awards season. Disney isn't just stopping at the Oscars. Hamilton will be submitted for all of the 2021 award shows, including the SAG Awards, Golden Globes, and Critics' Choice Awards. Disney hopes that while Hamilton may violate some Oscar regulations, it still may meet the guidelines of some of the other guilds. Hamilton will surely be involved with the Oscars one way or another, being that Disney is the parent company for ABC, but Disney still yearns for more.

Hamilton Disney plus

Disney is still holding onto hope that Hamilton will be able to slide through the Oscars cracks. Several other films that have violated the Oscars' recorded performance rules were eligible for Oscar nominations.  Many even argue that this is the first time that the recorded performance guideline has been enforced so strongly since it was added in 1997. The Spike Lee stand-up special The Original Kings of Comedy, stand-up film Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, and 2013 concert movie, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain were seriously considered as Oscar nominees during their respective Awards seasons. 

While it is still unclear whether or not Hamilton is eligible for Oscar nominations, the real question is, "should it be?" Many critics feel that Hamilton already had "its shot" at awards when it did a clean sweep of the 2016 Tony Awards. Most films that receive Oscar nominations are fresh on the scene and free from over five years worth of praise and speculation. Additionally, Hamilton will be eligible for the 2021 Emmy Awards under the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category.

However, an Oscar nomination would position Hamilton to be the first-ever Broadway production to potentially be an EGOT, which would be quite literally revolutionary. Since Hamilton already won Tony and Grammy Awards, it is already halfway there. If what Disney's own Cinderella says "a dream that you wish will come true" is in fact true, Disney will have to do a lot of wishing if they want Hamilton to end up on that Oscar ballot.

Next: Hamilton's Secret Character: How Death Appears Throughout The Show

Source: Vanity Fair