Although he’s known as The Greatest Showman On Earth, P.T. Barnum hasn’t actually made that many appearances on screen. Even Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show On Earth, which was filmed with the co-operation of the Barnum & Bailey circus, wasn’t about the founder.
However the circus master way now be getting his own movie as Columbia has picked up a script by Stan Chervin, which will cover Barnum’s early years, who turned from shopkeeper to the charismatic showman and builder of the world-famous circus.
Barnum really is a fascinating figure, half schuckster and half impressario, who wasn’t afraid on pulling a fast one if it got the cash, while admittedly still offering one of the most spectacular shows on the age.
As yet the movie doesn’t have an official name or a production date set, but this is one biopic that coulld well be worth making, so let’s hope it doesn’t get trapped in development hell.