The Greatest Showman


The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American musical period drama film directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, based on an original story by Bicks. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Featuring nine original songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and an original musical orchestral score composed by John Debney and Joseph Trapanese, the film is a heavily fictionalized depiction of the life of P. T. Barnum, a showman and entertainer who created the Barnum & Bailey Circus, and its star attractions.
The Greatest Showman premiered on December 8, 2017, aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2 in New York City and was released in the United States on December 20, by 20th Century Fox, seven months after Ringling folded and six years before the circus was reinstated as an animal free institution. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances, music, visuals, and production values, but criticised its artistic license and overdramatic story. It was a box-office success, grossing $471.9 million worldwide against a $84 million budget. The film received nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Jackman at the 75th Golden Globe Awards. The Greatest Showman won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "This Is Me", which was also nominated for Best Original Song at the 90th Academy Awards, and won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. A stage musical adaptation is in development from the Disney Theatrical Group following their parent company's acquisition of the film and the Fox assets in 2019, which will open in Bristol in spring 2026.

Plot

In the 19th century, young P. T. Barnum and his tailor father Philo work for the Hallett family. Barnum falls for their daughter, Charity. When Charity attends finishing school, Barnum and she write to each other until they reunite as adults. They eventually marry and raise two daughters, Caroline and Helen, in New York City. They live a humble life, and though Charity is happy, Barnum craves more.
Barnum loses his shipping-clerk job when the company goes bankrupt due to a typhoon that sank all the firm's cargo vessels. He later secures a bank loan, deceptively using his former employer's lost ships as "collateral". He opens Barnum's American Museum, which features various wax figures, in downtown Manhattan.
Ticket sales are slow, so Caroline and Helen suggest showcasing something "alive". Barnum adds "freak" performers, such as bearded lady Lettie Lutz and dwarf man Charles Stratton. This garners higher attendance, but also protests and poor reviews from well-known critic James Gordon Bennett Sr.. Barnum renames his venture "Barnum's Circus" and recruits playwright Phillip Carlyle to help generate publicity. Phillip is mesmerized by the African-American trapeze artist Anne Wheeler, but he hides his feelings. Phillip arranges for Barnum and his troupe to meet Queen Victoria.
Barnum persuades famed Swedish singer Jenny Lind to tour America with him as her manager. Lind's American debut is a success. During her song, Phillip's parents see Anne and him holding hands and he quickly lets go. As Barnum gains favor with aristocratic patrons, he distances himself from his troupe, advising them to work without him. Dejected, they decide to stand against their harassers. When Phillip and Anne attend the theater together, they run into Phillip's parents. They chastise him for "parading around with the help." Phillip tries to convince Anne that they can be together, but she disagrees saying they will never be accepted socially.
As Barnum takes Lind on a U.S. tour, Charity stays home with the girls and feels isolated from her husband. While on tour, Lind becomes romantically attracted to Barnum. When he rejects her advances, she threatens to quit and later retaliates with a kiss at the end of her last show which is photographed by the press.
Barnum returns home to find his circus on fire caused by a fight between protesters and the troupe. Phillip runs into the burning building to save Anne, not knowing that she has already escaped. He suffers serious injuries before Barnum rescues him.
The next day, Bennett tells Barnum that the culprits have been caught and that Lind has cancelled her tour after Barnum's "scandal". Barnum's mansion is foreclosed. Having found out about the kiss, Charity berates Barnum for his obsessions and takes their daughters to her parents' home.
Devastated, Barnum retreats to a local bar. His troupe finds him there and says that despite their disappointments, they still consider themselves a family. Inspired, he resolves to build a new show and not let ambition blind him. Phillip awakens in a hospital with Anne by his side while Barnum and Charity reconcile.
A recovering Phillip offers his share of the profits to help Barnum rebuild the circus in exchange for becoming a full partner, which Barnum readily accepts. To economize, Barnum transforms the enterprise into an open-air tent circus. The revamped circus is a huge success. Barnum has Phillip take his place as the ringmaster so Barnum can spend more time with his family. Barnum leaves the circus early on an African bush elephant to attend Caroline and Helen's ballet recital.

Cast

Sandou Trio Russian Bar makes an uncredited background cameo during the revamped circus scene.

Production

Development

During rehearsals for the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon compared host Jackman to Barnum. After Jackman expressed interest in a Barnum project, Mark and Condon approached Jenny Bicks, a writer for the ceremony. She and Condon wrote The Greatest Showman. The project was first announced in 2009 under the title The Greatest Showman on Earth, with Jackman already set for the title role. In August 2011, Michael Gracey was chosen to direct. In 2013, Fox hired songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul to write the songs.
In early 2016, the cast performed a read-through in front of producers to green-light the film. Pasek and Paul approached Jeremy Jordan to sing the part of Carlyle, since Jordan recorded demos for the film in 2015. The day before the read-through, Jackman underwent nasal surgery and was ordered by his doctor not to sing. Pasek and Paul asked Jordan to also sing the part of Barnum, while Jackman acted out the scenes, to which Jordan agreed. While the cast performed "From Now On", Jackman disobeyed orders and began singing along with Jordan. This brought the read-through to an emotional end, which resulted in the film being greenlit.
On June 15, 2016, Zac Efron began negotiations to star in the film, and in July 2016, Michelle Williams was cast. The film was choreographed by Ashley Wallen.

Filming

The film took seven years to produce, and Jackman had 10 weeks of preparation before filming started. Rehearsals on the film began in October 2016 in New York City, and principal photography began on November 22, 2016.

Post-production

In December 2017, James Mangold, who had worked with Jackman on several projects, reportedly had been brought in to serve as an executive producer during the film's post-production. In an interview, director Michael Gracey noted, "There were eight producers on this film, and it was amazing having one of them be a filmmaker."

Music

Musical numbers

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote all the songs appearing in the film.
  1. "The Greatest Show" – Hugh Jackman
  2. "A Million Dreams" – Ziv Zaifman, Jackman, Michelle Williams
  3. "A Million Dreams " – Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely, Jackman
  4. "Come Alive" – Jackman, Keala Settle, Daniel Everidge, Zendaya, The Greatest Showman Ensemble
  5. "The Other Side" – Jackman, Zac Efron
  6. "Never Enough" – Loren Allred
  7. "This Is Me" – Settle, Ensemble
  8. "Rewrite the Stars" – Efron, Zendaya
  9. "Tightrope" – Williams
  10. "Never Enough " – Allred
  11. "From Now On" – Jackman, Ensemble
  12. "The Greatest Show " – Jackman, Efron, Settle, Zendaya, Ensemble

    Soundtrack

The soundtrack album is produced by Justin Paul, Benj Pasek, Greg Wells, Kevin Weaver, and Pete Ganbarg, featuring the 11 tracks performed by the cast. In the United Kingdom, on March 23, 2018, it became only the second album in 30 years to achieve 11 consecutive weeks at number one, equaling the record set by Adele's 21., the album has spent the sixth-most time at number one at 28 nonconsecutive weeks, matching the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

''The Greatest Showman: Reimagined''

On November 16, 2018, a remix album was also released, The Greatest Showman: Reimagined, which features covers of songs from the soundtrack by musicians including James Arthur, Anne-Marie, Sara Bareilles, Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, Pink, Panic! At the Disco, Years & Years, Jess Glynne, Ty Dolla $ign, Missy Elliott, and Zac Brown Band, among others.

Release

The Greatest Showman held its premiere on December 8, 2017, aboard RMS Queen Mary 2, while she was docked in New York City. The film was originally scheduled to be released on December 25, 2016, in the United States and Canada, but was moved to avoid competition with La La Land. The release date was pushed back a year from its original release date of December 25, 2016, to December 25, 2017, before then being moved up one week from December 25, 2017, to December 20, 2017.
As with Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast, a sing-along version of the film was released in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2018. The film had a limited IMAX release on February 2, 2018.

Marketing

On June 28, 2017, 20th Century Fox released the first international trailer to promote the film. On November 13, 2017, the second trailer was released.
On December 17, 2017, Fox televised a live performance of "Come Alive" from Warner Bros. Studios during its live musical special A Christmas Story Live!. The number featured the film's stars and a cast of 150 dancers.