Hugh Jackman can sing and dance, dammit. The man proved his chops to Broadway audiences for years before showing movie fans with his Oscar nominated role in last year’s LES MISERABLES. If anything, that movie proved that Jackman should be in more musicals on the big screen. His next one, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH, already has a director in visual effects man Michael Gracey (also directing the Elton John biopic ROCKETMAN). Now, Bill Condon is coming aboard to help with the script.
Condon has experience with musicals having penned the scripts for CHICAGO and DREAMGIRLS. He directed DREAMGIRLS, the excellent GODS AND MONSTERS, KINSEY, and most recently THE FIFTH ESTATE with Benedict Cumberbatch. While he also helmed the final two TWILIGHT movies, don’t hold that against him.
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH tells the story of P.T. Barnum:
Barnum, the legendary showman who created the three-ring circus and loved to hoax a gullible public. A focal point of the movie is Barnum’s infatuation with opera singer Jenny Lind, dubbed the Swedish Nightingale.
Rumors have the Lind role being groomed for Anne Hathaway which would reunite the two LES MISERABLES costars. Now, I am not a huge fan of musicals, but I do have some favorites. LES MISERABLES was a good movie but could have been a lot better. Jackman was one of the best parts and I would love to see what else he can do in a less iconic role.
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH has no scheduled production or release date at this time.
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