What does ‘Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement’ mean? The Golden Globes’ new category, explained

The Golden Globes are back with today’s announcement of nominations, offering fans a brave new world full of bold, historic changes. For example, did you know that you can’t buy the trophies from Hollywood Foreign Press Association members anymore? At least theoretically? 

And guess what else? A fresh new Golden Globe category is on its way, one which breathes new life into a showbiz institution that would really much rather you didn’t think too much about the last couple of years, and the way that folks were just sort of auctioning off award nods to whomever had the most money. With that behind them, a new day dawns, beckoning in an award for Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. What does that collection of words mean? Funny story – it’s an award that goes to whoever made the most money.

The Golden Globes give awards for money, but differently, this time

Maybe that’s an oversimplification. The Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award isn’t a reward for money – more of a celebration of money. Whether that’s a more or less cynical interpretation is up for debate, but think of it as the Golden Globes’ response to the people who crawl out of the social media woodwork every year and say something along the lines of “Avengers 7 made a billion dollars, but those snobs will never give it an Oscar.” It’s the Globes’ way of saying “Nicely done, movie. You’ve helped Bob Iger buy a jacuzzi made of elephant bone.”

Per a statement from the Golden Globes organization, the category will “include nominees from among the year’s highest-earning and/or most viewed films,” which, per the Golden Globes’ announced guidelines, will factor in either “a box office receipt total/gross of $150 million or more, of which $100 million must come from the U.S. domestic box office.” As an added option, a film can be considered for the award if it manages to “obtain commensurate digital streaming viewership recognized by trusted industry sources.” If that sounds wildly subjective and open to interpretation, it may help to remember that this is an award show for movies and television, and that everything is like, Scoville scale-level arbitrary.

For the award’s inaugural year, nominees include Barbie, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, Oppenheimer, John Wick: Chapter 4, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. That’s right: Two separate entries starring Chris Pratt, proving once again that the divisive Jurassic World star is nothing if not awards bait. Just wait, The Garfield Movie is going to sweep up at the Academy Awards next year.