The Oscars must stop Disney from dominating their new blockbuster category

As of this writing, Crazy Rich Asians has earned $48 million in its first eight days of domestic release. Mission: Impossible – Fallout has earned $185m and thus has officially out-grossed (not counting inflation) the original $181m total of the first Mission: Impossible back in 1996. Oh, and not to be outdone, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again now sits with around $113m domestic from a $35m debut weekend.

I bring up these well-reviewed and well-received “popular” movies because, at a glance, they make up three of the more likely contenders for next year’s new (and thus-far ill-defined) “Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film category that will be awarded at next year’s Oscars. Oh, and let’s not forget that other movie from February that made $700 million domestic and rendered almost every other pre-summer release “unpopular” by default and whose acclaim may have created the category in the first place.