Disney Theatrical Group has officially announced the world premiere of the highly anticipated stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman. The beloved 2017 film, which tells the story of P.T. Barnum and the creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, is set to make its theatrical debut.
Performances will begin in the spring of 2026 at ATG Entertainment’s Bristol Hippodrome in the United Kingdom, with Broadway dates expected to follow.
The musical will feature all the hit songs from the film, composed by EGOT-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Fans can look forward to performances of “This Is Me,” “Never Enough,” “From Now On,” “Rewrite the Stars,” “A Million Dreams,” and the title track, “The Greatest Show.” In addition to these fan-favorite numbers, Pasek and Paul are composing new songs exclusively for the stage production.
“We are continuously surprised and moved by how much the songs from The Greatest Showman seem to have resonated around the world, and to now have the opportunity to bring them to the stage is truly thrilling,” Pasek and Paul shared in a statement.
Tim Federle, an Emmy-nominated writer best known for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Better Nate Than Ever, and Broadway’s Tuck Everlasting, has been tapped to write the book for the musical.
The production will also benefit from the expertise of Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw.
Nicholaw, known for his work on The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls: The Musical, and The Prom, has a long-standing relationship with Disney Theatrical Group.
He directed the hit stage adaptation of Aladdin, now in its 11th year on Broadway, and is also helming the upcoming Hercules musical, set to open at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in June.
The Greatest Showman Theater Show (Photo: Disney)Casting details for The Greatest Showman stage adaptation have yet to be announced, but a nationwide talent search is already underway.
Open auditions will be held throughout March and April in cities across the UK and Ireland, including Dublin, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Exeter, Newcastle, and London.
The original Greatest Showman film starred Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, alongside an ensemble cast featuring Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Directed by Michael Gracey, the film’s story was conceived by Jenny Bicks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bill Condon.
Despite its current status as one of the most successful movie musicals of all time, The Greatest Showman was initially considered a risky project.
When it premiered in December 2017 alongside Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, it received mixed reviews and a modest box office opening.
However, strong word-of-mouth from audiences helped turn it into a sleeper hit. Ultimately, the film grossed nearly $462 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing musical films in history.
A significant factor in the film’s success was its celebrated soundtrack. Pasek and Paul’s songs helped The Greatest Showman become the best-selling album globally in 2018, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
The film’s soundtrack won Best Soundtrack at the 61st Grammy Awards, while the song “This Is Me” was nominated for Best Original Song at the 90th Academy Awards and won the Golden Globe in the same category.
In addition to the original soundtrack, a remix album titled The Greatest Showman: Reimagined was released in 2018, featuring covers by artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, Pink, Panic! At the Disco, Sara Bareilles, Ty Dolla $ign, Missy Elliott, Jess Glynne, and Zac Brown Band.
Disney Theatrical Group has a long history of bringing hit films to the stage, with past Broadway productions including Beauty and The Beast, Frozen, Newsies, Mary Poppins, Tarzan, and The Little Mermaid.
However, this marks the first time the company is adapting a title from 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) in collaboration with The Seelig Group, which produced the original film.