The Greatest Showman stage show and Hercules run on West End confirmed by Disney
The major Disney productions are taking to the stage!
Theatre fans, you're in luck as not just one Disney production, but two have been confirmed as getting stage adaptations – and one is even coming to London.
Announced at fan convention D23 last night (Friday 9th August), the entertainment showcase revealed that both The Greatest Showman and Hercules will be gracing the stage as musicals.
As of yet, there's no word on when The Greatest Showman will be making its stage debut but we do know that Hercules the musical will be coming to London's West End next year.
The news of The Greatest Showman was announced alongside a rendition of the film’s song, The Greatest Show, which only notched up the excitement amongst fans in the audience.
As of now, there's been no confirmation on who is set to star or even if whether Hugh Jackman is at all involved in the new production. Of course, Jackman is currently enjoying the box office success of Deadpool & Wolverine but is known for his leading role in the 2017 musical film as PT Barnum.
Jackman starred in the film alongside Zac Efron, Zendaya, Keala Seattle and Rebecca Ferguson, among others. The film follows Barnum as he becomes a worldwide sensation in the show business, with his imagination and innovative ideas taking him to the top of his game.
Read more:
- Tron: Ares confirms superstar composers to replace Daft Punk
- Inside Out spin-off series coming to Disney Plus from Pixar: "Think of it as an in-between-quel"
The film was based on the real story of Barnum and was written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, based on a story conceived by Bicks. It went on to receive many nominations on the awards circuit at the time of its release and went on to become the fifth highest-grossing live-action musical film of all time, grossing $435 million worldwide.
So, it's safe to say that the film has quite the fanbase who will undoubtedly be excited for its onstage debut.
As for Hercules, the Disney West End production will open on Theatre Royal Drury Lane in summer 2025 and has been directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, who is known for his work on The Book of Mormon and Some Like It Hot.
Inspired by the 1997 animated film, the West End production of Hercules will feature music and lyrics by Alan Menken and David Zippel, co-choreography by Tanisha Scott and even a brand-new book by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah.
Make sure you check out our full guide to the best musicals on tour, plus the best kids theatre shows and yes, the best UK pantomimes.
Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
