ⓘ Details

Movie TitleThe Greatest Showman

Release DateDecember 20, 2017

TaglineThe impossible comes true.

Runtime105 minutes

DirectorMichael Gracey

Screenplay Written ByJenny Bicks and Bill Condon

Story ByJenny Bicks

Inspired ByThe life and show-business legacy of P. T. Barnum

BudgetApproximately $84 million

Box OfficeApprox. $174.3 million domestic / Approx. $459.7 million worldwide

↑ Return to Top

👥 Main Cast

Hugh JackmanP. T. Barnum

Zac EfronPhillip Carlyle

Michelle WilliamsCharity Barnum

Rebecca FergusonJenny Lind

ZendayaAnne Wheeler

Keala SettleLettie Lutz / The Bearded Lady

Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIW. D. Wheeler

Sam HumphreyCharles Stratton / General Tom Thumb

Austyn JohnsonCaroline Barnum

Cameron SeelyHelen Barnum

Paul SparksJames Gordon Bennett

Eric AndersonMr. O’Malley

↑ Return to Top

🏆 Awards

⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Original Song, “This Is Me”

⭐ Golden Globe Winner — Best Original Song, “This Is Me”

⭐ Golden Globe Nominee — Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

⭐ Golden Globe Nominee — Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, Hugh Jackman

⭐ Grammy Award Winner — Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

⭐ Critics’ Choice Movie Award Nominee — Best Song, “This Is Me”

↑ Return to Top

📖 Short Plot Summary

P. T. Barnum rises from poverty to create a bold new entertainment spectacle built around performers society has pushed aside. As his show becomes a phenomenon, Barnum chases acceptance from elite circles and risks losing sight of the family and performers who helped him succeed. Through romance, ambition, scandal, and spectacle, the film turns Barnum’s story into a modern musical about identity, belonging, and the cost of applause.

↑ Return to Top

❝ Key Quotes

“No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” — P. T. Barnum

“Comfort, the enemy of progress.” — P. T. Barnum

“You don’t need everyone to love you, Phin. Just a few good people.” — Charity Barnum

“A man’s station is only limited by his imagination.” — P. T. Barnum

“This is me.” — Lettie Lutz

↑ Return to Top

💡 Trivia

Director

The Greatest Showman was directed by Michael Gracey in his feature directorial debut.
The screenplay was written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon.
The 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the film as Episode 115 with Michael Gracey as director.

Cast / Casting

Hugh Jackman stars as P. T. Barnum and was also one of the film’s producers.
Zac Efron plays fictional playwright and investor Phillip Carlyle.
Zendaya plays trapeze artist Anne Wheeler, a fictional character created for the film.
Rebecca Ferguson plays singer Jenny Lind, though her singing voice in the film was performed by Loren Allred.

Soundtrack / Score

The songs were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriting team behind La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen.
“This Is Me” won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The soundtrack became a major commercial success and won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Location

The film is set primarily in 19th-century New York.
Production took place in New York City and other New York locations.
The film uses stylized musical staging rather than strict historical realism to present Barnum’s world.

Behind-The-Scenes

The film was released by 20th Century Fox on December 20, 2017.
Although inspired by P. T. Barnum, the movie takes major creative liberties with history.
The film opened modestly but became a word-of-mouth box-office success with strong staying power.
The film grossed approximately $459.7 million worldwide against an estimated $84 million budget.

Nostalgia

The Greatest Showman became a modern musical favorite for audiences drawn to its soundtrack and uplifting message.
“This Is Me” became the film’s signature anthem and a major part of its cultural impact.
The movie’s popularity grew through repeat viewing, sing-along screenings, and soundtrack streaming.

Easter Eggs

The movie references real Barnum-connected figures such as Charles Stratton, known professionally as General Tom Thumb.
The character Jenny Lind is based on the real Swedish opera singer Barnum promoted in America.
The film’s title echoes the phrase famously associated with Barnum’s image as a show-business promoter.

Misc.

The Greatest Showman was released in the United States on December 20, 2017.
The movie runs 105 minutes.
The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “This Is Me.”
Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Don at 3.00, Ken at 2.50, Jon at 4.50, and the Overall Rating as 3.33.

↑ Return to Top