Hugh Jackman has offered a disappointing update for fans awaiting a sequel to The Greatest Showman. Released in 2017, The Greatest Showman is a biographical musical film about the life of famous showman P.T. Barnum. The film would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammys, and three Golden Globes, with the film's most memorable song "This Is Me" winning the Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
While The Greatest Showman would gross $435 million internationally, making it the third highest-grossing musical movie of all time, the response from critics was mixed. Whereas some praised the film's catchy music and stunning visuals, others were not so kind. The major negative response to The Greatest Showman was that the film over-simplified the story of Barnum's life, turning a biographical film into something much more cliché. However, The Greatest Showman has grown a dedicated fanbase, with many fans eager to see Jackman return to the role of Barnum in a potential sequel – and Jackman himself has even expressed an openness to return to the character.
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In an interview with Variety, though, Jackman gave a disappointing update for The Greatest Showman 2. Jackman says that while "there's always a chance" that The Greatest Showman will be given a sequel, there is no plan yet, nor is there even a potential script for the film. Read Jackman's full comment below:
"There’s always a chance, I’ve done a few sequels in my time. There’s no plan, there’s no script that I know of yet."
Despite this disappointing news, all hope isn't lost for The Greatest Showman 2. In 2019, the film's director, Michael Gracey, said that there were discussions open around creating a sequel to the film, and that they were "working on one right now." The Greatest Showman co-stars Jackman and Michelle Williams have also previously expressed interest in returning to a potential sequel film, with Jackman saying in 2019 that he "would like to be part of it for sure."
However, with this latest news, it seems any previous work on The Greatest Showman 2 has stalled for the time being. With The Greatest Showman having taken nine years to make, it may just be a waiting game to find out if the sequel will ever actually happen. Though, with a massive box-office turnout, a loyal fanbase, and both cast and crew eager to return to the world of Barnum, perhaps there may still be hope for The Greatest Showman's sequel.