Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron has spent the last few years bearing witness to a Sorority Rising in Neighbors 2, along with hitching a ride cross-country opposite Robert De Niro’s unruly and Dirty Grandpa.
According to Variety, though, the so-hot-right-now star is on the verge of joining The Greatest Showman on Earth, the P.T. Barnum musical biopic that already boasts Hugh Jackman’s name on the casting docket. Truth be told, the Aussie has been linked with the movie since it was first hatched at Fox back in 2009,
Jenny Bicks of Sex and the City fame will pen the screenplay with Michael Gracey in line to direct. Chernin Entertainment, meanwhile, will produce Greatest Showman alongside Laurence Mark and Jackman himself.
Chronicling the creation of three-ring act Barnum & Bailey Circus, Greatest Showman will herald a return to the musical genre for Jackman, who last flexed his singing chops on Les Misérables and, to a lesser extent, Warner Bros. flop Pan. Of course, the X-Men stalwart has racked up a string of Broadway appearances, while Zac Efron will be drawing inspiration from his formative years headlining Disney’s High School Musical.
No word yet on Fox’s production timeline for The Greatest Showman on Earth, but we’ll keep you posted as more information comes to light. Look for Zac Efron to assume matrimonial duties in next month’s Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Beyond that, there’s also a role in Paramount’s star-studded Baywatch movie, which will look to cause R-rated chaos in 2017.