<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $434.6 million </Td> </Tr> <P> The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American musical film directed by Michael Gracey in his directorial debut, written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon and starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya . The film is inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum's creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the lives of its star attractions . </P> <P> Principal photography began in New York City in November 2016 . The film premiered on December 8, 2017, aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2 . It was released in the United States on December 20, 2017, by 20th Century Fox and grossed over $434 million worldwide, making it the fifth - highest grossing live - action musical of all time . </P> <P> The Greatest Showman received mixed reviews, with praise for the performances, music, and production values, but criticism for its artistic license, with some reviewers calling it "faux - inspiring and shallow". At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, the film received nominations for Best Motion Picture--Musical or Comedy and Best Actor--Musical or Comedy for Jackman . For the song "This Is Me", the film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 90th Academy Awards . </P>

When was the greatest showman released in theaters