Originally released in 2017, The Greatest Showman was a massive hit grossing $434.9 million against an $84 million budget. The musical, which stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya, follows the story of how P.T. Barnum created the Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The film was nominated for three Golden Globes, winning one for Best Original Song (“This is Me”), which was also nominated for an OSCAR in the same category. The movie wasn’t without it’s criticism, with most complaints directed at the historical inaccuracies of the film, particularly the portrayal of P.T. Barnum (Jackman) as an inspirational figure rather than a grifter like his real-life counterpart.
Because of its popularity, The Greatest Showman has technically never left cinemas and remains a common selection for drive-ins and musical-movie nights. Its enduring success has also led to speculation over whether a stage adaptation would be ever produced, but nothing concrete has ever come of these discussions. But Shaun Tossel over at Theatre Fan has shared the news that a musical adaptation is in development.
Tossel, whose previous scoops include the filming of Six: The Musical and the announcement of the Beauty and the Beast UK Tour, both of which were later officially announced, revealed that a top UK director is being courted to develop the show for a UK premiere.
No more information has been revealed yet, but we can likely expect original songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul to return and write new songs for the adaptation.
Source: Shaun Tossel (TheatreFan)
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