THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

[jo]

Hugh said in late November at the stagedoor that it will start filming in September. Maybe they were able to juggle the filming commitments ( presumably XMEN:Apocalypse ?) a little better? Or other developments in the film musical project have speeded up.

Jo

[jo]

Great release date for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH --

it will open on Christmas Day 2016!

deadline.com/2015/01/gambit-assassins-creed-planet-of-the-apes-release-dates-1201341760/

Three other Fox films also got wide release dates: Hugh Jackman starrer The Greatest Showman On Earth, Hollywood first new live-action musical with all original songs since 1992’s Newsies, will unspool on Christmas Day 2016...



Greatest Showman On Earth has Christmas Day 2016 to itself for the moment, opening four days after Assassin’s Creed...

It does seem to have the full support of FOX Studios -- it's been given a comfortable period ( more than just a year) for production/post-production/promotion!


The Christmas Day release date can work on several aspects --

*a family-friendly movie

*a completely new musical

*if done very well, it can compete for awards -- the Christmas Day release also usually features movies which are intended to meet the last release dates for films seeking Oscar nominations! Hope it can also meet Golden Globe nomination deadlines, with an advance screening.


Jo

[jo]

Other Christmas Day releases in the past included Les Miserables, Into the Woods, and Chicago ( released on Dec 27, 2002).

Crowd-pleasers but also critically well-received!


Btw, Christmas Day in 2016 falls on a Sunday!

[jo]

This will be Hugh's first biopic on film, and a musical biopic at that! His stage portrayal of the Peter Allen biopic ( aka The Boy From Oz) was outstanding!

Plus he looks good in period costume ( think The Prestige and Les Miserables )


Jo

[jo]

Is it bad of me to hope that their film project ( Wicked) will not be ready for a 2016 release date, esp towards the end of the year

www.filmdivider.com/7958/wicked-producer-marc-platt-gives-an-update-on-progress-and-that-2016-release-date/

A few weeks ago, we had a story from the Screen Film Summit where a certain cinema chain here in the UK presented Wicked as being part of their slate of upcoming films. The head of Vue included Wicked on their 2016 release calendar. Is that accurate?

Yes. But it’s not set in stone. The process of developing that movie has begun, we’re working on it, and whether it makes 2016 or not, I’m not so sure.



But that’s the goal?

It’s a loose goal. But the bar is very high for the creators of Wicked. Our show is still so strong everywhere, and we just set a record in both London and Edinburgh last week, and in Los Angeles, and we did on Broadway. Audiences enjoy that show so much that we are intending to move forward on the movie but aren’t going to do so until we’re satisfied in the material we have as a screenplay, and that the film will be every bit as satisfying as what we have on the stage.



Who’s been writing it?

Winnie Holzman.

And what shape is her script in now?

She’s just writing it now.




And do you have a director at the moment?

It’s Stephen Daldry. He’s been on for a year or two. But it’s in process. 2016 is the goal, but I don’t know whether we’ll make that goal or not. We will make the movie, but like I said, the bar is really high. We’re going to scrutinise our work on the screenplay and our prep on the movie, and when we feel like it’s ready, okay. We’re not going to shoot a release date is what I’m saying. It’s in the works, it’s not in a rush.

It took 27 years to make Into the Woods into a film from its original stage production, and 30 years with Les Mis. Some things take time for a reason.

Take your time, Marc Platt


PS: At the moment, Universal Studios ( which released Mamma Mia! and Les Miserables and owns the rights to Wicked) is releasing an untitled animation movie on Dec 21, 2016. Per Box Office Mojo --

December (Details)
• Untitled Star Wars (BV) - 12/16
• Assassin's Creed (Fox) - 12/21
• Untitled Illumination Entertainment (2016) (Uni.) - 12/21
• The Greatest Showman on Earth (Fox) - 12/25

Hopefully, that is their bet for the holiday season for that year


Jo

[jo]

TheatreMania reports that filming will take place in New York. I wonder if this is confirmed --

www.theatermania.com/los-angeles-theater/news/hugh-jackman-musical-film-to-open-christmas-2016_71211.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=07jan2015

Studio heads are aiming to begin filming in New York by summer 2015

[jo]

As late as November 2014, AVATAR 2 was bruited for a Christmas Day 2016 release date!

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/james-cameron-on-avatar-sequels-you-will-st-yourself-with-your-mouth-open-9886597.html

...Cameron, 60, is currently finishing scripts in New Zealand for the yet-to-be-titled Avatar 2, 3 and 4 but planned storylines are being kept secret.

He met with writers Josh Friedman, Amanda Silver, Shane Salerno and Rick Jaffa for seven months and “whiteboarded out every scene in every film”, before assigning each writer a movie on the last day of meetings.

“I knew if I assigned them their scripts ahead of time, they’d tune out every time we were talking about the other movie,” he laughed.

Original cast members Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are returning for the sequels as Jake Sully and Neytiri, while Sigourney Weaver is also included on IMDB’s cast list despite her scientist character Grace supposedly dying in the first film.

Avatar is still the highest-grossing film of all time, taking $2.8 billion at the global box office. Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was pushed into second place with its $2.2 billion, according to Box Office Mojo.

Completing the top five are Marvel’s The Avengers, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Disney’s animated hit, Frozen.

Avatar 2 is expected to reach US cinemas on Christmas Day 2016, with a UK release date yet to be confirmed.

It looks like that is not going to happen.

Instead FOX may have decided to give it more time to complete -- and decided to give the coveted Christmas Day playdate to GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH


It pays to have a major studio right behind you



Btw, I have read that FOX recorded the highest worldwide box office receipts in 2014!

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-breaks-industry-record-global-761129


2016 releases include Deadpool/Apocalypse/Gambit/Independence Day 2/Ice Age 5/ Assassin's Creed ( adaptation from a video game) and Greatest Showman!


Jo

[jo]

Here's the committed release schedules ( so far) for 2016 --

Per Box Offic Mojo --

www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?yr=2016


There are 10 Fox expected releases for that year. For December, this is how the schedule looks like --

December (Details)
• Untitled Star Wars (BV) - 12/16
• Assassin's Creed (Fox) - 12/21
• Untitled Illumination Entertainment (2016) (Uni.) - 12/21
• The Greatest Showman on Earth (Fox) - 12/25

In greater detail --

www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=bydate&release=theatrical&date=2016-12-02&showweeks=5&p=.htm

DECEMBER 2016

Friday
16
NEW IN THEATERS DISTRIBUTOR RELEASE
Untitled Star Wars
Sci-Fi Adventure/ Buena Vista/ Wide



Wednesday
21
NEW IN THEATERS DISTRIBUTOR RELEASE
Assassin's Creed
Michael Fassbender
Action/ Fox/ Wide

The Greatest Showman on Earth (on Sun.)
Hugh Jackman
Musical/ Fox/ Wide

Untitled Illumination Entertainment (2016)
Animation/ Universal/ Wide

All wide releases so far. Greatest Showman is being released 4 days after another Fox action movie, Assassin's Creed ( which is based on a videogame, and will star Michael Fassbender). Star Wars is being released 9 days earlier. Whew!!

I have a feeling that GREATEST SHOWMAN will focus on the more spectacular aspects of Barnum's life, given its Christmas Day playdate on a wide release basis! Hopefully, it may also be that it's being positioned as a possible awards contender!


Jo

[jo]

James Cameron confirms that he had asked for the delay in the release date for AVATER 2 to another year --

www.firstshowing.net/2015/james-cameron-delays-avatar-2-to-late-2017-for-more-script-work/

Glad that Fox entrusted the coveted playdate to GREATEST SHOWMAN!

[jo]

I'm guessing here but --

Circle in the Square Theatre School In the seminar, Mr. Jackman shared many details about his process, and also about an upcoming project for which he invited some of the School's students to audition.

January 23 at 12:49pm · Edited

Could this be for a chance for a part in GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH, which according to buzz is going to be filmed in NYC? Hugh has confirmed that filming will start in September.


Jo

[jo]

Not sure about this -- but could this be an advance photo call for GREATEST SHOWMAN. Of course, it could also be for the reprise of BACK ON BROADWAY in Instanbul ("#Coming soon") ?


OR -- could it be for something else that he is keeping as a big surprise ??

Hugh Jackman @realhughjackman
· 6h 6 hours ago
Coming soon! @cigaraficmag

http://instagram.com/p/ymmIx0ChFf

[mamaleh]

Or maybe it's just a photo shoot for Cigar Aficionado magazine.

Hearing "You Can Leave Your Hat On," however, reminds me that the number was originally intended to be included in the San Francisco tryout of Hugh's one-man show, although in the end it was jettisoned. Maybe it will find its way back overseas.

Ellen

[jo]

He certainly gave a different vibe

It sort of reminded me of his Legs Diamond number ( the best Hugh Jackman dance number ever... that never exported itself out of OZ)!!

Er... what is Cigar Aficionado magazine ? Is that a men's magazine like GQ or something else?

Hmm...is he doing it because Wolvie is a cigar aficionado


Jo

[jo]

You're right, Ellen

Cigar Aficionado ‏@cigaraficmag · 6m6 minutes ago
“@krefft1969: @realhughjackman @cigaraficmag when is this issue out? My husband can get one at his smoke shop.”

On newsstands March 3

I'd be very interested to know if there is a featured article on Hugh and his future projects


Jo

[mamaleh]

Yes, I've never read it, but I believe it's a GQ-like men's lifestyle/interests publication. It usually features a major macho star on the cover. So I have a feeling Hugh may soon be the magazine's cover boy.

Update: just saw your follow-up post, Jo. I hope there's a great shot on the cover.

Ellen

[hughmanity]

http://instagram.com/p/y96qwnjT7r

[jo]

Would you believe that I had been thinking of Sutton Foster as a possibility for the role of Jenny Lind ...Hugh seems to have been looking at Broadway actors for possible roles?

Or maybe they were participating in a workshop for the film? Except, that would be a mighty expensive way to do it ( with Sutton...and maybe Aaron!!).

Hugh seems to be rather active in helping cast the movie. Hope he doesn't look at Hunter Foster ( Sutton's brother) for any role in this musical! Just kidding


Jo

[jo]

Other possibilities re the tapping of Broadway actors --


*Maybe Hugh wants a crossover casting, if he intends to keep them in the film cast? That ahould also take care of Hunter, brother of Sutton, Foster

*Maybe Hugh wants a concept album released, using Broadway voices, as a calling card for the movie?

*Maybe he is thinking of dubbing some of the film actors's voices -- but is that still being done today?




Hope Hugh updates on the project soon!


Jo

[jo]

Per the IMDB Page on the film project --

Produced by

Hugh Jackman ... producer
Laurence Mark ... producer

Laurence Mark is a film/TV producer who produced DREAMGIRLS and other successful films like JERRY MAGUIRE.

The previous Hugh connection was when he produced the Oscars which Hugh hosted in 2009. Remember the fantastic opening number? Although that was the creation of a team of writers sought by Hugh's team and perfectly executed by Hugh.

This is why Hugh is actively doing some auditioning/casting/readings!

Jo

[jo]

Great, great news if this happens


www.tracking-board.com/tb-exclusive-zac-efron-in-talks-to-star-opposite-hugh-jackman-in-greatest-showman-on-earth-musical/

TB EXCLUSIVE} Zac Efron In Talks To Star Opposite Hugh Jackman In “Greatest Showman On Earth” Musical
February 17, 2015


EXCLUSIVE

Efron is in talks for a supporting role in the musical rendering of P.T. Barnum’s life.
Zac Efron is in talks to star opposite Hugh Jackman in 20th Century Fox’s THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH. The original musical will tell the story of P.T. Barnum, a showman with a gift for hoaxing the public as he creates the three-ring circus that made him famous. The film serves as a musical rendition of the life of P.T. Barnum, who formed the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Jackman will star as Barnum.

Efron is in talks to star as Phillip, a handsome, rich young theatre producer who decides to become Barnum’s junior partner/apprentice and eventually becomes Barnum’s close friend and ringmaster. The role would require Efron to channel his Hairspray and High School Musical roots, as it requires signing and dancing.

The film will be the first original movie musical in twenty two years, since 1992’s Newsies.

Michael Gracey will direct the musical biopic, with the screenplay’s most current draft having been written by Bill Condon, with a polish by Jonathan Tropper.

Production is slated to commence late this summer, in New York.

Last year, Efron starred in the comedies That Awkward Moment, opposite Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan and Neighbors, opposite Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. The in-demand actor will next star in We Are Your Friends, The Falling, The Associate, and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. He’ll also return for Neighbors 2 and star in an untitled project with Robert De Niro.

Efron is repped by CAA and Alchemy Entertainment.

So, this must be why Hugh has been doing workshops with Aaron Tveit and why he asked for Taron Egerton's singing video!

Er...Aaron, Taron, now Efron

I think Zac is perfect casting - ha, I used to watch the High School Musical film series with our young relatives ( one grandnephew could do Zac's routine perfectly -singing and dancing). Zac can really dance! And sing of course! I also saw him in the Hairspray movie. Plus he does have a fanbase ( his twitter followers are double HJ's )!

Where's the link - remember the 2009 Oscars? Zac was one of the two supporting dance partners in Hugh's number with Beyoncé!

I wonder who is being cast for a major female lead part ( Jenny Lind? Barnum's wife? Philip's love interest).

It looks like we can expect a major movie musical!


Jo

[jo]

Nov 29, 2014 21:08:44 GMT -5 jo said:

At the CITS barricade today, Hugh shared that he will start filming GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH in September!

I guess this means that the movie musical has already been greenlit by FOX??

Presumably after the filming of XMEN: Apocalyse ??


Jo

He didn't let me down ...For a long time, there was no word on the September film start in regular media or social media.

He has just reconfirmed during a CHAPPIE interview that filming is to start in September.



Jo

[jo]

Reposting this from the Wolverine 3 thread.

This was part of an article from FORBES providing an excellent insight on Hugh Jackman's career ( apropos his announcement re the Wolverine role) --

2016 will see a co-starring role in the British ski-jumper drama Eddie the Eagle and a starring role in the Oscar-friendly P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman on Earth on 12/25/16

I like the perception that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH will provide Hugh another opportunity for Oscar glory

*Is it because of Fox's belief in the project that the film release has been positioned for key dates during the awards season ?

*Is it because this is a biopic of an iconic character in American culture? And biopics are notoriously lucky in getting Oscar nods

*Is it because he may get to portray someone who is physically very different from the Jackman film persona ( and can allow him to hide flawlessly behind the character)? Somehow this reminds me of the kind of period film attractiveness that The Prestige carried, albeit of a very different nature.

*Is it because Hugh will be able to display his total versatility, maybe even more than Les Miserables did, because this movie musical will feature his triple-threat talent?


If he is not going to be doing any important filming after Eddie the Eagle, that would give him ( as producer and as lead actor) even more time to prepare the movie for filming!



Hope the perception becomes reality!


Jo

[marymagdalene]

I know that it has been QUITE a while since I last posted, but I have been lurking more recently than posting... I just wanted all of you to know that I have NOT forgotten this place!

One of my friends, who knows that I am a huge fan of Hugh Jackman, told me last week that Hugh IS on the cover of April's "Cigar Aficionado", and has a nice long article/interview...

It is $5.95, and I purchased my copy at Barnes & Noble, where I was able to use my Reader's Advantage 10% discount...


www.cigaraficionado.com/issue/show

[jo]

I wonder if anything came out of the "talks" with Zac Efron?

It seems he is due to start filming a movie for FOX called WEDDING DATES, with Anna Kendrick.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/anna-kendrick-joins-zac-efron-785826


Jo

[jo]

If this biopic called FERRARI and focused on legendary carmaker, racing driver and enthusiast, and Ferrari founder/ entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari makes it as a film project -- and with Robert de Niro as Enzo, with Clint Eastwood helming it ( who is being approached for the directorial job), and with a desired release of 2016 --- hope it does not provide too much competition to Greatest Showman for Oscar glory

www.motorsport.com/f1/news/robert-de-niro-to-play-legendary-enzo-ferrari-in-movie-epic


Enzo was quite a controversial character whose personality might make for a colorful movie portrayal. But for the movie to be successful, it has to focus on his famous car and the competitions that it has won -- racing rather than the character study!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzo_Ferrari

Will AMPAS get sentimental again ( they like multiple winners)... and give De Niro another award in his golden years?


Jo