THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

[jo]

Unwittingly, a lot of early positive publicity was generated by those photos/video clips taken on set while they were filming at the NYC Supreme Court building entrance...and at a supposed train station location in Williamsburg --

[jo]

Now that he has trimmed his hair further after the film wrapped --



does this mean that he was actually wearing his own hair for the movie ( longer but puffed up and curled with a hairdresser's trick - the curls were the concession to the actual Barnum look ...and with longer sideburns). If he had been wearing a wig, why bother to keep his hair long ( and not just wear it normally as in the above photo).

The great debate continues


Jo

[jo]

Interesting background material on Phineas Taylor Barnum himself --

[ruby]

Apr 9, 2017 18:34:45 GMT -5 jo said:

Now that he has trimmed his hair further after the film wrapped --



does this mean that he was actually wearing his own hair for the movie ( longer but puffed up and curled with a hairdresser's trick - the curls were the concession to the actual Barnum look ...and with longer sideburns). If he had been wearing a wig, why bother to keep his hair long ( and not just wear it normally as in the above photo).

The great debate continues


Jo

I dropped out of the debate after the first part of the filming. If he needed a hairpiece it was for a brief time. To me it seemed clear that his own hair was soon long enough to blow out big enough for the look they were gong for.

[njr]

My vote: hairpiece the entire shoot for continuity. He just now got himself a short "summer cut."

Nancy

[jo]

Producer Hugh Jackman (aka P.T.Barnum) chose this 4-year old to play Tom Thumb --

www.wagmag.com/for-father-and-son-lifes-a-real-circus/




From Wiki notes --

Barnum followed that with the exhibition of Charles Stratton, the dwarf "General Tom Thumb" ("the Smallest Person that ever Walked Alone") who was then four years of age but was stated to be 11. With heavy coaching and natural talent, the boy was taught to imitate people from Hercules to Napoleon. By five, he was drinking wine and by seven smoking cigars for the public's amusement.

In year 1843 Barnum hired the traditional Native American dancer fu-Hum-Me, the first of many Native Americans he presented. During 1844–45, Barnum toured with Tom Thumb in Europe and met Queen Victoria, who was amused[13] and saddened by the little man, and the event was a publicity coup. It opened the door to visits from royalty across Europe including the Czar of Russia and let him acquire dozens of attractions, including automatons and other mechanical marvels.

The real Barnum and Tom Thumb --

[jo]

When will we see the first official teaser/trailer?

Amazing that we did not see any leaked/bootlegged full footage of what was shown at Cinemacon, even if only temporarily. The Fox online police is very fast

Presumably, that footage was not intended for general audiences, but more as promotional material for theater exhibitors. I suspect it was more focused on spectacle, which could be the selling point for theater owners to their audiences?

My own speculation ( and I think I may have also read about similar possibilities) is that they may follow what is par for the course for showing first trailers -- six months before release of a movie. The first trailer for LOGAN ( which completed principal photography only on August 19, 2017 and did not really have too much time for post-production) was around October 23 and the movie was released in the USA on March 3. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN wrapped around April 7/8 but it can benefit from footages having already been packaged earlier, albeit intended for theater exhibitors.

Presumably THE GREATEST SHOWMAN will follow a similar schedule of trailer releases in general, maybe even earlier? It's also a FOX movie and maybe the successful marketing team of LOGAN will also manage the promotional plan for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ? So, is the official trailer likely going to be out by June? Or if we are lucky, maybe even May?

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is generally an unknown future film release, so we can expect maybe a longer marketing period to promote the movie. On another aspect, it may want to catch the likely residual favorable impact of renewed interest in movie musicals via LA LA LAND and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST?

Jo

[jo]

Btw, the GOLDEN GLOBES is slated to be held on January 7, 2018!

Presumably the nominations will be announced sometime in December. So, it is likely that awards screeners will be given to key awards bodies so the film can be considered for filmmaking honors. Many have speculated that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN will be a shoo-in for the MUSICAL/COMEDY category of the GOLDEN GLOBES.

Jo

[jo]

There is a current stage production of the Cy Coleman stage musical called BARNUM in Boston. BWW reports on the production --

www.broadwayworld.com/boston/article/BWW-Review-BARNUM-Run-Away-With-This-Circus-20170418


If this is successful, will producers be interested to bring it to Broadway/


Jo

[foxie]

Love that smile on his face with Michel!

[jo]

Some early publicity? Please note Michelle as Charity Barnum, with their two daughters in the movie.

P.T. and Charity will eventually have 4 daughters -- I wonder if all will be portrayed in the movie?

[jo]

Jeffrey Wells ( Hollywood Elsewhere) shares his personal instinctive updates on Oscar chances ( he calls them know-nothing-best-picture-spitball ) --

www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2017/04/latest-know-nothing-best-picture-spitball/#more-101695

Latest Know-Nothing Best Picture Spitball

Four and a half months before anyone besides Glenn Whipp starts to even speculate about 2017 Best Picture candidates, Hollywood Elsewhere is projecting that the following nine films (also posted in the Oscar Balloon) are the most likely contenders, and in the following preferential order:

Kathryn Bigelow‘s Detroit, written by Mark Boal; Luca Guadagnino‘s Call Me By Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics); Michael Gracey and Hugh Jackman‘s The Greatest Showman (20th Century Fox, 12.25); Steven Spielberg‘s “Untitled Pentagon Papers’ Project” (Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks — 20th Century Fox, 12.22); Alexander Payne‘s Downsizing (Paramount, 12.22); Paul Thomas Anderson‘s semi-fictionalized biopic about legendary egomaniacal fashion designer Charles James; Alfonso Gomez-Rejon‘s The Current War (Weinstein Co., 12.22); Chris Nolan‘s Dunkirk (Warner Bros., 7.19); and Stephen Chbosky‘s Wonder (Lionsgate, 11.17).

Are there any hints of softness or uncertainty among any of these? Yes, but I’d rather not share at this stage. I only have hunches and what are those worth? Which of the above are all-but-guaranteed locks for Best Picture noms? Detroit, Call Me By Your Name, The Greatest Showman, Spielberg’s Pentagon Papers Project (a.k.a. The Post). Everything else feels a bit shaky in this or that way.


I don’t know if Alfonso Cuaron‘s Roma, a Spanish-language drama set in 1970s Mexico City, will open later this year or not, but I hope it does. Cuaron is the man.


The following eight (8) films stand the best chance of moving in if some of the above fall out: Todd Haynes‘ Wonderstruck (Amazon); Dan Gilroy‘s Inner City (strong ethical-attorney drama on the page); Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris‘s Battle of the Sexes (Fox Searchlight); Adam McKay‘s Untitled Dick Cheney Drama (Paramount — will it even be ready in time?); John Curran‘s Chappaquiddick (riveting, well-written Ted Kennedy takedown on the page); Martin McDonagh‘s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight); and Ritesh Batra‘s Our Souls At Night (Robert Redford, Jane Fonda).

Chances will probably change as the year rolls on and new movies are released -- but it seems he has indicated a strong hunch on the chances of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN.

Is he hearing things about the project/movie while it is now on post-production...OR is just looking at past history and assigning probabilities to the upcoming films ?

Re past history --
*Has the Oscar gaffe re LA LA LAND created a sympathetic reaction for the next movie musicals?
*Or has the recent performance of musicals ( La La Land / Beauty and the Beast) created the buzz that the AMPAS had better join the bandwagon?
*Or has the pronounced emphasis made by FOX on GREATEST SHOWMAN during CinemaCon showed signals that the studio is going to bat for this movie musical as its candidate for the coming Oscars?
*Is this implying that Hugh Jackman will also be a strong candidate for Best Actor? It could be an irony that in the year that his long-tenured Wolverine role which had its strongest award-winning performance this year in LOGAN could also be competing with a musical role for Hugh!
*Is LOGAN going to be forgotten for any major awards possibilities?


So many questions -- it is going to be a long wait until the chances solidify for the films touted for Best Picture!

How has Jeffrey Wells fared in terms of early predictions?


One thing I remembered from last year -- early on, he predicted that Casey Affleck is a lock for Best Actor!


Jo

[jo]

However, have you noticed that Jeffrey Wells has also now included the upcoming Speilberg THE POST real-life drama ( with Streep and Hanks re The Washington Post) as a late FOX December release? Please note this has also been confirmed by Box office Mojo --

www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=bydate&release=all&date=2017-12-01&showweeks=5&p=.htm

It is probabaly going to be on limited release for the period of December 22-31, 2017 just so it can get in for the coming awards consideration.

Will FOX push both SHOWMAN and THE POST for Academy favors ?


Hmmm...


But it is still a long way to go! Hope we get a trailer/teaser for GREATEST SHOWMAN before the first half of the year ends. That will help build up awareness and excitement for the movie!


Jo

[jo]

This is the confirmation by FOX of the release date of THE POST ... and other 2017/2018 movies.

www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/840821-20th-century-fox-sets-eight-more-release-dates?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20th-century-fox-sets-eight-more-release-dates#/slide/1

Steven Spielberg’s The Post (which the studio says is still untitled), starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, will open in limited theaters on December 22, 2017 and will then expand wider on January 12, 2018.

The limited release is intended for Oscar consideration purposes.

At least the screens will be devoted to SHOWMAN for the holiday period starting Christmas Day!

[jo]

He does look great in red!

[hughmanity]

http://instagram.com/p/BTkLZRHBGog

[jo]

We need a teaser or better still, a first full trailer...and a song release!

Hurry

[jo]

This site is unfamiliar and it is in Spanish ... but it is easy to applaud their OSCAR nomination choices for BEST PICTURE/BEST ACTOR/BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS --

[jo]

Jeffrey Wells reports on current predictions by another Oscar prediction site, AWARDSWATCH --

www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2017/05/so-theyve-decided/#more-102163

So They’ve Decided

Eric Anderson‘s Awardswatch pallies have somehow divined (possibly by reaching in and exploring the recesses of their anal cavities) that Todd Haynes‘ Wonderstruck is the hottest Best Picture contender of 2017. The dual-era drama will play in competition later this month at the Cannes Film Festival.

The runner-ups are Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal‘s Detroit (Annapurna, 8.4), Untitled Steven Spielberg Pentagon Papers Project (20th Century Fox, 12.22), Joe Wright‘s Darkest Hour (Focus Features, 11.24), Chris Nolan‘s Dunkirk (Warner Bros, 7.21), Andrew Haigh‘s Lean on Pete (A24), Dan Gilroy‘s Inner City, Luca Guadagnino‘s Call Me By Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics, 11.27), Dee Rees‘ Mudbound (Netflix); and Alexander Payne‘s Downsizing (Paramount, 12.22).


Also highlighted are Denis Villenueve‘s Blade Runner 2049 (Warner Bros, 10.6), George Clooney‘s Suburbicon (Paramount, 11.3), Darren Aronofsky‘s mother! (Paramount. 10.13), Richard Linklater‘s Last Flag Flying (Amazon), Martin McDonagh‘s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight, 10.13), The Current War (Weinstein Co, 12.22), Get Out (Universal, 2.24), The Greatest Showman (20th Century Fox, 12.25) and Michael Haneke‘s Happy End (Sony Pictures Classics)

HE’s Oscar Balloon projections are more or less in line with Awardswatch’s, save for the inclusion of Lean on Pete. So far I’m not getting the thing about that.

The others include Disobedience (TBD); Destin Daniel Cretton‘s The Glass Castle, Goodbye Christopher Robin (Fox Searchlight, 11.10), Scott Cooper‘s Hostiles w/ Christian Bale; Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer (A24, 11.3), Deniz Gamze Ergüven‘s Kings (A24), The Leisure Seeker (Sony Pictures Classics); Stronger (Lionsgate/Roadside), Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Fashion Project (Focus Features, 12.25), Reginald Hudlin‘s Marshall (Open Road, 10.13) w/ Chadwick Boseman; Garth Davis‘s Mary Magdelene (Weinstein Co., 11.24); Aaron Sorkin‘s Molly’s Game (STX, sometime in the fall); The Mountain Between Us (Fox Searchlight, 10.20), Guillermo del Toro‘s The Shape of Water (Fox Searchlight, 12.8); Jason Hall‘s Thank You For Your Service (Universal, 10.27); Stephen Chbosky‘s Wonder (Lionsgate, 11.17).

There is nothing too known about THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. FOX should start the early publicity machine ( such as releasing an early teaser or even a full trailer...and maybe song releases from the soundtrack) for Awards predictors to have a more firm basis for serious consideration of this movie. Some of the predictions, even if not much has been released, are based on former award-winning history of the creative team ( director/stars) or an existing literary work or biopics of historical figures/events.

FOX MARKETING has to be aggressive in getting the word out. So far, it is only Hugh Jackman's reputation as a triple-threat ( Les Miserables, Oscar hosting, Stage musicals) and to some extent the winning of Oscars by screenwriter Michael Arndt and by composers Pasek and Paul ( LaLaLand) and that it is an original musical which is produced and distributed by FOX which are key favorable factors.   But the movie itself is completely unknown except for short footages at CinemaCon last March.  Also, there is a competing movie also from  FOX - the Spielberg/Streep/Hanks "The Post" movie that has only recently started filming which is among the top possibilities!

Let's hope Michael Gracey delivers!

Jo

[jo]

wshu.org/post/barnum-bailey-circus-closes-its-curtain-connecticut#stream/0

Barnum & Bailey Circus Closes Its Curtain In Connecticut
By Davis Dunavin • 58 minutes ago


Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Ringmaster Kristen Michelle Wilson performs Jan. 14, 2017, in Orlando, Fla.
Chris O'Meara / AP

The Greatest Show on Earth held its final Connecticut show in Hartford Sunday night.
 
It started in the 1870s with Connecticut native son P.T. Barnum. The circus was basically a retirement gig for him. Barnum was in his 60s when he took his show on the road, and it was originally called – ready for this? P.T. Barnum’s Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Hippodrome.

Here’s how Kathy Maher of Bridgeport’s Barnum Museum described it.
“It was a wondrous thing. Communities would shut down because the circus was coming to town. Some of these tents would seat ten thousand people. They were enormous. There was always a fine arts tent, there was a museum tent with curiosities for people to see. There would also be menagerie tents where you could see smaller exhibits of animals, more zoo like.”

Barnum split his time between the circus and his role as mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut. He died in 1891 and his circus merged with Ringling Brothers in the early 20th century.

Attendance had dropped for the circus in recent years, and they’d been under decades of intense criticism from animal rights advocates for their use of circus elephants. The company removed elephants from its performances last year. And earlier this year, they announced they’d close up shop for good.


The Greatest Show on Earth may be over, but you haven’t heard the last of P.T. Barnum. There’s a biopic on the way this fall with Hugh Jackman as Barnum. The title? The Greatest Showman.

[jo]

Composer John Debney is handling the film scoring ( which is different from the musical score composed by Pasek and Paul which refers to the songs/and recitatives, if any). Film scoring work usually starts towards the end of filming ( when rushes become available) and/or at the Edit Suite.

www.imdb.com/name/nm0002201/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Although Debney was widely known within the industry as a versatile and talented composer, the world wouldn't discover him until he composed the landmark score for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Enticed by the idea of working on a project that held deep, spiritual meaning for him, Debney's score, which blended symphonic orchestra, a wide range of world instruments, and the beauty of the human voice, connected on an emotional level with viewers and listeners, and rose to #1 on Billboard's charts for Soundtrack and Christian Albums, and #19 on the Billboard Top 200. The record was certified gold by the RIAA and won the Dove award for Best Instrumental Album, as well as garnering Debney an Oscar nomination.

Shortly after the movie release, Debney premiered "The Passion of the Christ Symphony" in Rome, Italy, a highly successful performance featuring an 83-person choir and a 96-piece orchestra, plus solo musicians and guest vocalists from both the film and the classical worlds, which received a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience. In the tradition of classical composers, John Debney enjoys conducting his own work and has conducted some of the world's greatest orchestras. "A big part of the joy in what I do is that I consider it an honor to stand in front of live musicians and have the opportunity to hear my music played by these talented people."

Debney's most commercially successful work to date is Disney's live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book, directed by Jon Favreau, released in 2016. Debney credits the success of the movie to the fact that both the film and the score, "Embraced the history" of the original. Long-time collaborator, Jon Favreau and John Debney have worked on a variety of films together including Elf, Zathura, Iron Man 2, and The Jungle Book. Among John Debney's other most recent works are scores for Draft Day, Stoneheart Asylum and History's Emmy-nominated Hatfields & McCoys as well as the History's most recent mini-series Houdini, and A&E mini-series Bonnie & Clyde.

Considered one of the most prolific and successful composers in Hollywood, Debney has won 3 Emmy's and been nominated for 7, he is also an Academy Award nominee, and the youngest recipient of ASCAP's prestigious Henry Mancini Lifetime Achievement Award.

[jo]

Nothing new ...but update on GREATEST SHOWMAN has been featured on French online media --


www.musicalavenue.fr/the-greatest-showman-avec-hugh-jackman-au-cinema-le-24-janvier-2018/


Rough Google translation

"The Greatest Showman" with Hugh Jackman in theaters January 24, 2018
 
 


In preparation since 2009, this musical film produced by the Fox with music by Pasek & Paul unveiled its first images at a Convention (CinemaCon) which made fans hysterical.

It must be said that the distribution has something to be tantalizing with Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) in the lead role of PT Barnum, an exceptional "showman" famous for both the creation of a circus and its penchant for mystification public. He called himself "the Prince of the Charlatans", in reference to the credulity of the spectators he exploited to give them full view.

Zac Efron back in a musical!

In addition to Hugh Jackman, who is also the producer of the film, other stars are featured in the musical, including Zac Efron (Hairspray, High School Musical), Michelle Williams (Manchester by The Sea) and Zendaya (Spider- Man - Homecoming). According to the fans present during the presentation of the trailer, Zac Efron appeared there during a number of tapes on the counter of a bar to the sound of a song composed by Pasek & Paul, He had sworn to want to get away from musical comedies recently.

Rebecca Ferguson (Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation) will perform the role of Swedish singer Jenny Lind who had become a real star with the help of P.T. Barnum. This role had a time said to be specially written for the partner of Hugh Jackman in Les Misérables, Anne Hathaway, before the devolved of the producers does not go on Ferguson, herself Swedish and trained in a school of music in Stockholm.

He will have to wait until January 28, 2018 to discover the film in France, just one month after its release in the United States. Just in time to be eligible for the 2018 Oscars? In any case, this is what journalists are already sensing in the United States. Patience until then!
Photo credits: Zac Efron (via Instagram)

The Greatest Showman
French release date: January 28, 2018

Directed by: Michael Gracey; Scenario: Michael Arndt, Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks; Music: Pasek and Paul
With: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Will Swenson

[jo]

[jo]

This article from BILLBOARD came out right after the last OSCARs --

www.billboard.com/articles/news/movies/7708972/upcoming-movie-musicals-la-la-land-disney

What 'La La Land' Hath Wrought: The 15 Biggest Movie Musicals Coming Soon
2/28/2017 by Jason Lipshutz



Getty Images
Donald Glover, Lady Gaga & Hugh Jackman


More originals, Lady Gaga's star rising, and 'Cats': what to expect to hear at the multiplex in the near future.
No, La La Land did not win best picture at the Academy Awards — although it came darn close. After being nominated for a record-tying 14 Oscars this year, Damien Chazelle’s homage to movie musicals walked away with six statues, including best director, best actress and best original song. It almost walked away with best picture, too… but after a now-infamous envelope mix-up, Moonlight was given its rightful trophy.

Don’t cry too hard for La La Land, though! With an international box office gross of $340 million, the film is a global smash, and has transported Chazelle to the A-list (its costars, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, were already there). More importantly, Hollywood will react -- has already reacted! -- to the passion project's monster success by giving a slew of new musical the go-ahead. Over the next three years, moviegoers will get more original tunes, live-action updates of animated classics, Broadway shows transported to the silver screen for the first time, and remakes of movie musicals we already know and love. Here are the 15 projects we’re most excited about, neatly divided into four categories:


The Originals (and Never-Before-Adapted)


Perhaps the most obvious successor to La La Land’s cavalcade of Oscar nods: The Greatest Showman, the story of circus legend P.T. Barnum starring Hugh Jackman in the lead role and co-starring Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Zendaya. First-time director Michael Gracey is a visual effects whiz working from a script by Michael Arndt (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City) and Bill Condon (Chicago); this one drops Christmas Day 2017 in a blaze of Oscar-bait glory.


Also worth keeping an eye on: Disney’s long-gestating Bob The Musical, which will feature original tunes from Flight of the Conchords member Bret McKenzie and sounds a little bit like Inside Out but with songs; a still-untitled domestic-comedy musical starring and co-written by Josh Gad (The Book of Mormon, Frozen), with new music from Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz; and a Will Ferrell-Kristen Wiig vehicle based on the 2013 book Everything Is Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals, with an original score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray). Insight into corporate America’s attempt to brainwash consumers through original songwriting, from two SNL MVPs? Count us very much in.


The Remakes and Sequels

Kinda bummed that Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t reach full EGOT at this year’s Oscars? Have no fear — he’ll have a good chance to do so in two years. The Hamilton mastermind is starring in Mary Poppins Returns, alongside Emily Blunt as the beloved title character, Meryl Streep (who might know a thing or two about attracting Oscars attention) and Colin Firth (ditto). Rob Marshall’s sequel arrives on Christmas 2018, just a few months after Bradley Cooper’s reimagining of A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga -- who reportedly "will compose and perform new music for the film" -- is unveiled in September 2018. Gaga was nominated for a Best Original Song statue last year; could she barge into Best Actress two years from now?

Elsewhere, Steven Spielberg expressed interest in rebooting West Side Story last year, and as one of the most successful musicals and soundtracks of all time, a remake (with a script reportedly coming from Angels in America scribe Tony Kushner) seems all but inevitable in this post-La La landscape. And a remake of the 1955 classic Guys And Dolls is definitely coming, with Michael Grandage (Genius) attached to direct.


The Disney Takeover

Next month’s live-action Beauty and the Beast — starring Emma Watson, and with new music from Celine Dion and Ariana Grande — is the harbinger of Disney’s upcoming extended harvesting of its late-20th-century renaissance. Earlier this month, it was announced that Niki Caro (Whale Rider, McFarland USA) would be helming a live-action remake of Mulan, the 1998 film with the deeply underrated Disney song “I’ll Make a Man Out Of You.” That film, which has not yet cast its lead, arrives in November 2018.

Then there’s the in-the-works Little Mermaid live-action adaptation, which would follow the animated classic, successful Broadway show and recent rumors that Lindsay Lohan wants to play Ariel. (That last bit probably won’t happen, but Mean Girls stans can dream, right?). And two weeks ago, Donald Glover was cast as Simba in a live-action Lion King, that will also feature James Earl Jones reprising the role of Mufasa. Jon Favreau, who helmed last year’s box-office-dominating live-action reboot of The Jungle Book, is confirmed to direct.


The Broadway (And Off-Broadway) Darlings

“Something Wicked this way comes!” a lot of people will annoyingly proclaim when the silver-screen adaptation of the Broadway behemoth starts approaching its release date. That’s a long way away — the story of the witches of Oz doesn’t arrive until December 2019 — but after years of delays, it’s finally coming together, with Stephen Daldry (The Hours, Billy Elliot) set to direct.

Much sooner than that, the film adaptation of Michael John LaChiusa’s off-Broadway chamber musical Hello Again — focusing on the travails of 10 lost souls — began filming in late 2015 and is set to arrive later this year, with Tom Gustafson behind the camera. And we’d be remiss to not mention the musical with perhaps the highest meowing-to-talking ratio: Cats is coming to the big screen, with Tom Hooper — who brought another Broadway treasure, Les Miserables, to the Oscars a few years ago — attached to direct. Let’s just hope he recruits Russell Crowe again; the role of Mr. Mistoffelees isn’t going to fill itself.

[jo]

Saying goodbye to hundred-years-old institution -- the circus!

www.imgrum.org/media/1508410840024365998_1174316643

@skylarmariedunn
Farewell Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey🎪#thegreatestshowonearth  #thegreatestshowman  #barnumandbailey 
Providence, Rhode Island

She's wearing a souvenir cap of the Ringling Bros, Barnum and Bailey Circus!