Ladies and gents and others, this is the moment you’ve waited for — The Greatest Showman, the movie musical starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya, is finally coming to Broadway! The 2017 sleeper hit became a surprising pop culture phenomenon, with original songs written by acclaimed duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and helmed by Michael Gracey in his feature film directorial debut. A fictionalized tale of the real-life P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman stars Jackman as the illustrious ringmaster in a rags-to-riches story filled with song and spectacle.
Though it may deviate heavily from historical fact, The Greatest Showman‘s songs are what audiences remember and celebrate the most. Whether it’s the electric opening number “The Greatest Show” or the inspiring anthem “This Is Me,” the soundtrack had everyone singing along and tapping their toes to the music. With musical movies like Moulin Rouge! getting the Broadway treatment, there was little question that The Greatest Showman would eventually follow. But will Jackman be reprising his role live on stage, or if someone else will don the top hat?
Disney Announced The Greatest Showman Broadway Adaptation At Their 2024 D23 Expo
The Greatest Showman Stage Musical Is In The Early Stages Of Development
The announcement for The Greatest Showman stage adaptation was made at the D23 Expo in August 2024. Before a cheering crowd, a group of singers performed “The Greatest Show” to a packed house, followed by an image which read: “The Greatest Showman, The New Musical – Now In Development For The Stage.”
The video clip was posted on X and Instagram, both with the caption: “This is the moment you’ve waited for.” While the show hasn’t officially been confirmed as premiering on Broadway, all signs point to it being a very likely eventuality, as the Great White Way has been home to many Disney musical adaptations already.
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Since the initial announcement, there have been very few updates on when the live show will premiere. However, Greatest Showman songwriter Justin Paul dropped a few hints to What’s On Stage in November 2024, saying:
“We’re in the early days workshopping, doing it in labs and, you know, figuring out what the stage adaptation of it is. There will be new songs and new material and all that stuff. But we’re early, early on in all of it: it’ll be on stage some day, hopefully sooner than later, and we’re really excited about it.”
Will Hugh Jackman Star In The Greatest Showman Musical?
It’s Not Confirmed, Though It’s Unlikely (Despite Jackman’s Stage Experience)
Naturally, fans are eager to learn whether Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as P.T. Barnum on stage. After all, Jackman is no stranger to live musical theater. Along with playing the role of Gaston in a 1995 Melbourne, Australia production of Beauty and the Beast, Jackman starred as Curly in the London West End production of Oklahoma! in 1998. In 2022, Jackman starred in the hit Broadway revival of The Music Man, earning him a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Jackman has also been known to perform live on various solo tours around the world.
Hugh Jackman earned a Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award in 2004 for The Boy from Oz. Having also won an Emmy and a Grammy, all Jackman needs is an Oscar to join the elite list of EGOT winners.
While Jackman might seem like the obvious choice to star in The Greatest Showman stage production, there is no guarantee it will play out that way. In fact, it’s very rare for screen actors to repeat their former performances on stage. For example, the 2019 Broadway musical version of Moulin Rouge! starred theater actor Aaron Tveit as Christian, rather than Ewan McGregor.
However, some fans online have voiced the hope that beloved theater actor Jeremy Jordan, star of Disney’s musical theater adaptation of Newsies, will take on a major role in The Greatest Showman. For context, Jordan stepped in to replace Jackman for The Greatest Showman demo, as Jackman had recently undergone surgery.
Other Disney Musicals In The Works
Their Hercules Musical Is Coming To London’s West End In 2025
Disney has a long history of adapting its movies for the stage, from the third longest-running Broadway show, The Lion King, to the acclaimed musical adaptation of Newsies. With the announcement of the upcoming The Greatest Showman live theater production, there is still yet more exciting news for Disney musical fans. At the same D23 Expo in 2024, Disney announced that a musical based on the 1997 animated film Hercules will be making the move from Germany to London’s West End in 2025.
Even more thrilling news for Disney+ subscribers, the D23 expo announced that a recorded performance of the live-stage musical Frozen will hit the streaming site in 2025. The musical will star Samantha Barks as Elsa, who played the role on stage at the London West End beginning in 2021.
Similar to its 2020 recording of Hamilton, the Frozen musical coming Disney+ will be a perfect opportunity for fans — especially those without the means to see the Broadway show — to enjoy live entertainment from the comfort of their own home. It’s also the perfect thing to tide audiences over until The Greatest Showman hits the stage.
