Films The Greatest Showman

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The Greatest Showman poster

Film · 2017

The Greatest Showman

Directed by Michael Gracey · starring Gayle Rankin, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams

  • 1 h 45 min
  • PG
  • Biography · Drama · Music
  • USA
  • Released in the UK 25 December 2017
  • 5.9 AverageMovieNCo
  • 7.6 Users34 votes
  • 4.3 Critics6 reviews
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Synopsis

'The Greatest Showman' is a biopic directed by Michael Gracey based on the true story of P. T. Barnum, a show business man who made his name in North America for founding the famous "Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus".

After the company he works for turns bankrupt, P.T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, is left un-employed and unable to support his family. A visionary for his time, he recruits individuals with unique abilities to perform in the greatest spectacle of the eighteenth century, known as the "Greatest Show on Earth?. Little did Barnum know that his show would mark the beginning of show business.

It was an unprecedented celebration, surpassing all that the spectators of those times could imagine. The success of his shows made P.T. Barnum one of the richest men in the United States.

Where to watch The Greatest Showman

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Available now in the UK:

Availability checked on 8 November 2026.

The essentials

Runtime
105 min1 hour and 45 minutes
Budget
$84mTwentieth Century-Fox
Box office
$173m2.1 times its budget
Rating
PGParental guidance
How long is The Greatest Showman?
1 hour and 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was The Greatest Showman released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 25 December 2017.
Who directed The Greatest Showman?
Michael Gracey.
Who is in The Greatest Showman?
It stars Gayle Rankin, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and Zac Efron.
Where can I watch The Greatest Showman?
In the UK it is available with a subscription on Disney+ and to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.
How much did The Greatest Showman make?
It took $173 million in US. It cost $84 million.
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Cast

Full cast (23)
Director
Michael Gracey
Writers
Michael Arndt, Jenny Bicks, Bill Condon
Producers
Peter Chernin, James Mangold, Laurence Mark, Jenno Topping
Cinematography
Seamus McGarvey

Videos and trailers

See the video
'The Greatest Showman' trailer 2:2327 June 2017

Photos and posters

All 21 photos

Reviews

All 6 reviews
7.6 34 votes
  • 109 %
  • 918 %
  • 821 %
  • 726 %
  • 69 %
  • ≤518 %

What the critics say average 4.3 from 6 outlets

  • 6.0 FotogramasBeatriz Martínez 'The Greatest Showman' is not responsible for judging the figure of P.T. Barnum (...), but is limited to turning him into an almost Disney, rogue and hustler character that ends up symbolizing what… Read
  • 6.0 The GuardianPeter Bradshaw It?s not a film to break moulds or test boundaries. Yet Jackman?s real charm will carry you along. Read
  • 2.5 The WrapRobert Abele Forgettable songs, ADHD pacing and cardboard characters make for a shallow biopic of the circusmaster Read

Box office

Weekend by weekend
  • Budget $84m
  • US $173m
  • UK £46.7m

Awards

All the awards

Soundtrack

All 16 songs
  1. The Greatest ShowHugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Zac Efron, Zendaya, The Greatest Showman Ensemble Spotify
  2. A Million DreamsZiv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Skylar Dunn, Mixed Spotify
  3. A Million Dreams (Reprise)Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely, Hugh Jackman, Mixed, Greg Wells Spotify
  4. Come AliveHugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Daniel Everidge, Zendaya, The Greatest Showman Ensemble Spotify

Trivia

  • Jenny Lind

    Carey Mulligan and Ellen Page were in early talks for the role of Jenny Lind.

  • A dream come true

    This has been a dream project for Hugh Jackman since 2009.

  • Another musical

    This is Hugh Jackman's first musical since 'Les Misérables'.

  • Fifth musica

    This is Zac Efron's fifth musical since the 'High School Musical' trilogy and 'Hairspray'.

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