Why Critics Hated The Greatest Showman (And Why They're Wrong)
Critics hated The Greatest Showman when it was released in 2017, but the film's overwhelming word-of-mouth success and undeniably catchy soundtrack made the P.T. Barnum musical a hit. The movie opened with an underwhelming box office following a universal pan from critics but nearly doubled that by its second weekend — and continued to grow until it became a record-breaking blockbuster and a massive commercial success. After becoming one of the highest-grossing movie musicals of all time, it's apparent that The Greatest Showman had widespread appeal and a devoted fanbase far beyond its critical failures. So why did critics hate Greatest Showman?
The Greatest Showman is an original musical inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum, with Hugh Jackman in the starring role. Although Jackman is mostly associated with his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, he built a successful career in musical theater; from playing Curly in the 1998 West End production of Oklahoma!, to a starring role as Jean Valjean in the 2012 Tom Hooper film adaptation of Les Misérables. Hugh Jackman was instrumental in getting The Greatest Showman made, becoming attached to the project in 2009 and championing its production until the 2017 premiere. Following the mainstream success of Hamilton, which proved that musicals could achieve mainstream popularity outside of Broadway, and La La Land, which proved that original musicals could be a critical and commercial success at the box office, the world was finally ready to take a chance on The Greatest Showman.
Related: The Greatest Showman Ending Explained: What Happened Next?
Anticipation for the film was intense, including thoughts of Academy Award contention. But the universal critical panning of the
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