On Aug. 1, Universal's "Get On Up" will be released with a lot of Oscar buzz being built around it.

For months, the film has generated buzz especially because it is a biopic. The Academy has always been in love with movies based on real people and many times, the acting awards are given to actors who play real life individuals. For instance, Daniel Day-Lewis took home his third Oscar for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln" while Meryl Streep won her third Oscar for her work as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."   

"Get On Up" tells the story of James Brown, the soul singer icon. The rave reviews the film is receiving have focused primarily on Chadwick Boseman's portrayal of Brown. The actor is receiving a lot of Best Actor buzz and many have already noted that he could be the frontrunner.

The Film Journal's Kevin Lally wrote "Chadwick Boseman is sensational in this multifaceted portrait of troubled, pioneering soul music giant James Brown."

Meanwhile, Richard Corliss from Time Magazine stated "Boseman deserves a Pulitzer, a Nobel and instant election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Boseman is new to the industry, but he has quickly obtained respect. Last year he received praise for his role as Jackie Robinson in "42." However, that film was released too early in the year to obtain any Oscar consideration. In his second lead performance as Brown, he could get his first Oscar nomination especially if Universal campaigns strongly.

For years, the studio has been a major presence in Oscar competition, as Universal has scored Best Picture nominations for "Les Miserables" "Frost/Nixon" and "Munich," and even won Best Picture for "A Beautiful Mind."

However, it has been inconsistent in the Oscar race.  Last year, for instance, Universal scored four nominations with two films and failed to garner nominations for its big contender "Rush" which scored rave reviews and a number of precursor awards. "Get On Up" may be released too early in the season but there are always major exceptions.  

According to early box office predictions, "Get On Up" seems like it will be a crowd-pleaser. Like "The Help," "Get On Up" will be released in August and is tracking well among older audiences and Brown fans.

Back in 2011, "The Help" generated good reviews but what helped it was its successful box office and its appeal to the black demographic as well as being a crowd-pleaser.

"Get On Up" has a lot of the same qualities including its director Tate Taylor.   

Lee Daniel's "The Butler" was released in the same time period and generated Oscar buzz. Like "The Help," it was a huge box office success and while it received mixed reviews it still garnered a number of precursor awards. But while there was an expectation the movie would go home with a number of Oscar nominations, in the end, it was completely shut out.

One of the last reason why "Get On Up" could be an Oscar nominee come January is that it was produced by Brian Grazer. The producer has scored a number of Oscar nominations over the years and is well respected in the industry. Grazer won his Oscar for his work on "A Beautiful Mind" and also produced the Oscar nominees "Apollo 13" and "Frost/Nixon." While not all his films are automatic Oscar nominees, the fact the film tells the story of one of the most respected musicians in history could help make the case for a Best Picture nomination.

Do you think "Get On Up" will become an Oscar nominee or will it go home empty handed?