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GREATEST SHOWMAN presentation at CineEurope


There was a CineEurope presentation on June 21, 2016 and Fox teased about THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH --

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineeurope-fox-presents-looks-at-905108


Please scroll down to the report on CINEEUROPE by Alex Ritman --



The studio also teased its Hugh Jackman-fronted P.T. Barnum musical biopic, 'The Greatest Showman,' and Pharrell Williams stopped by to promote 'Hidden Figures.'

20th Century Fox on Tuesday put on on a nearly two-hour show to close the second day of the annual CineEurope trade show in Barcelona, the studio's first public presentation since it was revealed last week that Stacey Snider would succeed chairman Jim Gianopulos in the chairman role.

Much of the time was spent on The Greatest Showman, the Hugh Jackman-fronted musical biopic of legendary U.S. circus owner and entertainment businessman P.T. Barnum. Although the project has yet to go into production, director Michael Gracey was onstage to walk the audience through his vision of a film he said would be a "return to the classic film musical." He likened it to West Side Story, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.

Concept art and musical numbers were unveiled, as well as videos of Jackman and the team in rehearsals (one of which took place the day after the actor had an operation and defied the wishes of a doctor who said he shouldn't sing).




That Hugh decided to sing even against doctor's orders following his skin cancer surgery -- what a trouper! That must be the spirit of the theatre which prodded him to do that!

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This is actually the right time to make this presentation -- as the audience were theater distributors! They would have appreciated the prospect of a biopic which presents the life of a kindred historical personality ( the man who basically invented how to sell entertainment  )


The next year or so will bring in 4 different kinds of musical entertainment --

*LaLaLand, a comedy with music, will open this year's Venice Film Festival

*Beauty and the Beast, a live-action Disney musical, is a blockbuster even before it opens 

*Pitch Perfect, which probably appeals to the GLEE-type of audiences, will rely on the success of its two previous outings.


So, the timing now to create buzz on the musical biopic ( Greatest Showman) is just about right 


I wonder when they will start filming?

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director Michael Gracey was onstage to walk the audience through his vision of a film he said would be a "return to the classic film musical." He likened it to West Side Story, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.



He is differentiating it from the comedy with music ( LaLaLand), the live-action Disney show ( Beauty and the Beast), and a Glee- cum- High -School- Musical appeal ( Pitch Perfect) by promising a return to the classical type of musical -- a wonderful and period-piece story, very strong characterizations, tuneful and inspiring musical score ( e.g., This Is Me), dazzling choreography, plus it has a real musical theatre star to lead the way ( Hugh Jackman vis-a-vis Julie Andrews)!!

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These are the details on the workshop mentioned in the article re the CineEurope presentation...and where Hugh was supposed to have sung contrary to doctor's orders --


FOX's musical movie THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH is making progress, having just presented a reading to executives prior to filming. Starring the previously announced Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum and directed by Michael Gracey in his directorial debut, the reading also starred Cynthia Erivo, Keala Settle, Carrie Manolakos, Marcus Paul James, Adam Halpin, Natalie Weiss, Loren Allred, Tamika Lawrence, Alison Luff, and Ben Thompson.

Check out a photo from the reading as tweeted by Pasek & Paul below!

http://newimages.bwwstatic.com/upload11/1244640/files/600x375xScreen,P20Shot,P202016-02-11,P20at,P209_06_30,P20AM.jpg.pagespeed.ic.1Qd4dIZ5KI.jpg



Supposedly not shown on the photo but were there for singing duties were Jeremy Jordan ( Newsies) and Andrew Keenan Bolger ( Tuck Everlasting)... and not identified but I think she is in the photo was Caroline Bowman, all musical theatre stars! Recent TONY winner ( for COLOR PURPLE) Cynthia Erivo was among them.

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