There’s nothing like a leading man with depth and Hugh Jackman has it in spades. Not only does he make a darn good Wolverine, the Australian actor shines just as brightly in any genre he tries his hand.  1r483w

Several decades into his storied career, there’s not much Jackman hasn’t tried. Getting his start in theater, Jackman became a household name when he starred in the 2000 film X-Men as the superhero Wolverine, a role he recently reprised in the highly-anticipated film Deadpool & Wolverine. Though playing the hero is what put Jackman on the map, his love for song and dance never wavered. 

Jackman has taken the chance to star in musicals several times throughout his career, a fact for which we’re eternally grateful. Don’t get me wrong; we love a good, angsty Jackman role, but one look at the man on stage and you can see why he’s a Tony Award-winning actor. In honor of the musical-loving thespian, here are the best musicals Jackman’s been a part of so far.

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Does The Greatest Showman absolutely butcher the true story of P.T. Barnum, one of the most prolific swindlers in history? Absolutely. And how!

Very little that happens in The Greatest Showman happened in real life and the movie certainly deserves criticism. But if you can turn your brain off for a moment and enjoy it for the spectacle it is, you’re in for a grand time. Jackman gives an entertaining performance as a largely fictionalized (and by all s, much kinder) Barnum, and his chemistry alongside Zac Efron, who plays a completely fictional character, is fun to watch.

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Generally speaking, there’s a lot to dislike about the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables but Jackman’s performance is one aspect we can appreciate. His powerful performance as Jean Valjean earned him his only Academy Award nomination to date and stands out in a somewhat lackluster adaptation. While not every moment is strong, at his best, Jackman brings a sense of desperation and vulnerability to the role. It’s surprising Jackman has yet to achieve EGOT status, but we’re glad his emotional turn in Les Mis was recognized with at least a nomination.

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Your life is divided into two halves: Before you realize George Miller wrote and directed Happy Feet and after. Once you realize the creator of the Mad Max franchise is also behind Happy Feet, the abundance of celebrities playing singing penguins suddenly makes a lot more sense. Jackman stars as Mumble’s dad Memphis, a penguin whose voice resembles that of Elvis Presley (naturally).

You may think I’m joking when I say this is one of Jackman’s best performances in a musical but I stand by it. Just listen to him sing that “Heartbreak Hotel/Kiss” mashup at the beginning of the film and tell me that doesn’t sound like a guy having the time of his life. Let’s give Happy Feet the love it deserves going forward, thank you.

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Jackman has long professed his love for The Music Man, performing songs from the musical on Jay Leno and at the Tony Awards. Given how much preparation he’s done for the role (man’s basically been auditioning for this his whole life), it’s likely his turn as Professor Harold Hill is the performance of a lifetime. Sadly, the production is so recent that there are hardly any videos online and I have not had the fortune of seeing it live. Until then, I don’t want to rank this too high, but given how well he sings “Rock Island,” I’m not placing this any lower. Can we all agree to collectively petition Broadway to release the 4k recording of the musical? Cool, thanks.

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Before he was Wolverine, Jackman was mostly known for his turn as Curly McLain in the 1998 West End revival of Oklahoma! The production was immortalized in a 1999 made-for-TV film and can be revisited at your leisure. If you haven’t watched it yet, Jackman absolutely shines in the role in a way he has yet to in any movie musical. A must-watch for any fans of musicals and/or Jackman.

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Jackman’s starring role as the late and great Australian entertainer Peter Allen in the 2004 Broadway production of The Boy From Oz earned him his first Tony Award. Reviews of the musical itself were mixed but most critics agreed Jackman’s performance was a delight. Fresh off his breakthrough as Wolverine and playing the title role of Van Helsing in well, Van Helsing, Jackman played against type as the flamboyant and flirtatious Allen. Allen left big shoes to fill but darn if Jackman doesn’t try his hardest to fill them. If this doesn’t prove he’s got star power and versatility, nothing will.

In light of news that 55-year-old song and danceman Hugh Jackman and his wife would be separating after 27 years of marriage, the public’s speculation has turned to all things related to the X-Men franchise and erstwhile Van Helsing. Questions have begun to bubble up about his personal life, his career trajectory, and, perhaps most damningly, his height.

And while many of these questions will likely go unanswered, there’s one thing that we here at WGTC are now prepared to confirm: Hugh Jackman is 6’3.” 

How tall were some of Hugh Jackman’s most famous characters? 69311b

Jackman’s substantial size was one of a seemingly endless list of complaints that preemptively frustrated comic book fans had about Jackman in the days leading up to 2000’s X-Men. Wolverine, the character that would define much of the performer’s career as he returned to it time and time again over the next quarter of a century, was traditionally portrayed as standing a full foot shorter than Jackman at 5’3.

Outrage turned to grumbling acceptance as viewers came to accept the 75-inch Australian as the best and only actor to play the 63-inch Canadian.

Meanwhile, P.T. Barnum, a wildly fictionalized version of whom Jackman played in the hit 2017 musical The Greatest Showman, was reported to be anywhere between 5’10 and 6’2, making Jackman’s height one of the most true-to-life aspects of Barnum’s portrayal in the movie. To date, the greatest height differential between Jackman and a character that he portrayed — and this is true — came in 2006 with Flushed Away, in which he played a four-inch-long rat.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is riding the acting wave like a pro surfer. Bordizzo has firmly cemented herself as a thespian extraordinaire with her dazzling performances in various Netflix productions. Her portrayal of Sabine Wren in the live-action series Ahsoka on Disney Plus further builds a fortress of success in the industry. Natasha, born on Aug. 25, 1994, in Sydney, Australia, began acting virtually by chance. She was a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Communication student at the University of Technology in Sydney when she went to her first audition. 

This audition resulted in her landing the part of Snow Vase in the Netflix sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, where she demonstrated her martial arts skills, which she had been developing since she was a teenager. Natasha’s career took off after her breakthrough performance. She played a key role in the 2018 film Hotel Mumbai, appearing alongside stars like Dev Patel and Armie Hammer. Many fans are looking forward to seeing what other roles Natasha Liu Bordizzo will play. For the time being, though, here is a list of her top film and television credits.

10. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016) 84x32

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny marked a spectacular breakthrough for Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Natasha played the role of Snow Vase in this sequel to the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which received rave reviews. A young and talented martial artist, Snow Vase sets out to find Michelle Yeoh’s Yu Shu Lien, a legendary warrior, intending to become her apprentice and benefit from her wealth of knowledge. 

Snow Vase matures and develops throughout the film, changing from a wild and impulsive young warrior to a thoughtful and strategic one. Natasha’s martial arts segments are one of the most remarkable aspects of her portrayal of Snow Vase. Given that this was her first acting role, her ability to perform sophisticated fight choreography was impressive. Natasha underwent intense training to prepare for the part, ensuring that her combat scenes were authentic and visually appealing.

9. Wish Dragon (2021) 4h5r5

Natasha Liu Bordizzo offers the voice of Li Na in the animated film Wish Dragon. Sony Pictures Animation’s film follows the adventures of a young man named Din and a magical, wish-granting dragon through the bustling streets of present-day Shanghai. Li Na is Din’s childhood friend. As children, they were inseparable, sharing dreams and adventures in their close-knit neighborhood. 

However, as time went on, they went in separate directions. Li Na, who comes from a privileged family, is swept up in the glamour and social norms of the upper class, while Din stays behind in their old neighborhood, holding dear the memories of their shared history. Li Na’s personality has several facets. But even though Li Na has the outward appearance of living a life of ease and comfort, she struggles with the expectations of her social status and yearns for real friendships and the basic pleasures of life. 

8. Hotel Mumbai (2018) 1k6c28

Bree, played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo in the gripping and intense thriller Hotel Mumbai, is a standout performance. The movie depicts the real-life siege of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel during the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008. The film delves deep into the harrowing experiences of the hotel guests, staff, and the brave individuals who risked their lives to save others. As the attacks begin, Bree, a young backpacker and tourist, is holed up at the hotel. 

Throughout the film, Bree’s character makes her way through the turmoil and terror of the hotel halls in search of safety while also attempting to help. Bree’s interactions with the other characters, especially the hotel employees and the other stranded guests, illustrate the film’s overarching theme: the human will to persevere and the desire to aid others, no matter how dire the circumstances. 

7. The Society (2019) 6iv10

In the intriguing TV series The Society, Natasha Liu Bordizzo takes on the role of Helena. The show, broadcast on Netflix, explores the strange circumstances under which a group of teenagers find themselves in a replica of their town, but with all the adults mysteriously missing. Helena is a devoted Christian with a strong sense of morality and justice. Throughout the series, she frequently looks to her faith for guidance, especially in the town’s chaos and uncertainty. 

Helena’s persona stands out as a ray of light and a pillar of stability in this community struggling to come to with the mysterious disappearance of their loved ones and the difficulties of self-governance. Helena’s connection to Luke, another local hero, is essential to the story. Their friendship, built on shared principles and respect, is a refreshing contrast to the more problematic pairings shown elsewhere in the show. 

6. Guns Akimbo (2019) 47134e

An action comedy film directed by Jason Lei Howden, Guns Akimbo is notable for its eye-catching visuals and intense action scenes. The protagonist, Miles, is a programmer in a dead-end career who finds himself suddenly drawn into an underground fight club broadcasting deadly matches live online. Daniel Radcliffe plays Miles, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Nova, his ex-girlfriend. 

With its bright colors, unusual camera angles, and bizarre character designs, Guns Akimbo offers a descent into madness. The film delves into the risks of the dark web and the consequences of partaking in violent online shows. It serves as a cautionary tale, warning against the appeal of voyeuristic violence and the potential loss of identity that might result from it.

5. The Voyeurs (2021) 4l3k44

The erotic thriller The Voyeurs centers around a young couple, played by Sydney Sweeney and Justice Smith, who move into a new apartment and get preoccupied with watching their neighbors across the street, which has unintended effects. Julia, one of the film’s main characters, is played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo. As the story progresses, the boundaries between voyeurism, obsession, and morality begin to blur, setting the stage for a thrilling and dramatic climax. 

The film digs deeply into questions of privacy, ethics, and the ramifications of unchecked curiosity. Amazon Studios released The Voyeurs on Amazon Prime Video on 10 September 2021. Despite getting mixed reviews from critics, the film outperformed Amazon Studios’ expectations.

4. Day Shift (2022) 5sw6e

The action, vampire bloodshed, and comedic timing in Day Shift make for a thrilling cinematic experience. Bud Jablonski, played by Jamie Foxx, and Big John Elliott, played by Snoop Dogg, take viewers on a wild adventure through the streets of Los Angeles. Bud, a pool cleaner from the San Fernando Valley, is the film’s protagonist. He risks his life to hunt vampires and sell their teeth for profit. 

Bud is a blue-collar parent who wants nothing more than to give his bright 10-year-old daughter a good life. But he is caught up in a fatal scheme headed by Audrey San Fernando, a vampire who has been there for millennia and has a dastardly plan to gentrify the area for vampires. Heather, played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo, is Bud’s neighbor and a nurse transformed into a vampire in the 1970s against her will. The film also stars Dave Franco, Meagan Good, and Karla Souza.

3. Detective Chinatown 2 (2018) 6x5o5f

Chen Sicheng’s comedy-mystery buddy film Detective Chinatown 2 is the follow-up to 2015’s Detective Chinatown. The story follows leads Qin Feng and his estranged uncle Tang Ren as they are tricked into traveling to New York for a wedding that never takes place. But the real reason they’ve been called in is to help with a high-profile murder investigation. Chinatown godfather Uncle Qi is giving a cool $5 million to any detective who can locate his grandson’s murderer within a week. 

Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Officer Chen Ying. She is a Chinese-American NYPD investigator who plays an essential role in the film’s unraveling mystery and eventually develops as the love interest of Tang Ren. Officer Chen Ying assists the duo throughout the investigation by sharing her extensive local expertise and valuable insights. The film became one of the highest-grossing pictures of all time in China and earned over $544 million globally. 

2. The Greatest Showman (2017) 3a6v2x

Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Deng Yan in the musical film The Greatest Showman. Hugh Jackman plays P.T. Barnum, the Barnum & Bailey Circus creator, in the movie directed by Michael Gracey. It looks into the lives of the remarkable people who became a part of his fantastic act. Deng Yan is a circus performer in Barnum’s diversified group. While she is not one of the main characters, she is part of the ensemble that brings Barnum’s circus’s bright and eclectic world to life. 

The film praises individuality, diversity, and the belief that what makes us unique also makes us exceptional—the circus performers, including Deng Yan, battle public prejudice and skepticism throughout the film. However, they unite as a family under Barnum’s direction, appreciating their diverse abilities and cultures. They demonstrate that they can overcome adversity and discrimination with determination and solidarity.

1. Ahsoka (2023– ) 1f4y2j

Star Wars fans were overjoyed when it was announced that beloved character Ahsoka Tano would be getting her own live-action series. With its fantastic cast, creative crew, and the promise of deepening Ahsoka’s story, Ahsoka has become an important addition to the Star Wars universe.

In the Disney Plus series, which premiered on Aug. 22, Sabine Wren, played by Bordizzo, is a Mandalorian warrior and graffiti artist, an ex-bounty hunter, and a former apprentice of Ahsoka Tano who possesses an expert knowledge of weapons and explosives. Rosario Dawson returns to her role as the titular Ahsoka Tano from The Mandalorian. 

Marvel and Dune star Zendaya has wrapped up yet another journey around the sun and is now 26 years old. A star since her early days on the Disney Channel, the Californian-born triple threat has racked up some incredible roles before the age of 30.

Here are the greatest moments in Zendaya’s career so far.

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One of the biggest gambles of the MCU’s version of Spider-Man was doing a completely original character based loosely on the famous comic book character Mary-Jane Watson. In marketing for Homecoming, Zendaya’s role was only called Michelle with the big reveal at the end seeing her nicknamed “MJ”. The sardonic and darkly comedic role was a perfect fit for Zendaya, with her chemistry with Jacob Batalon and (importantly) Tom Holland selling this new version of the webhead.

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Based on the life of famous carnival entertainer P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman boasted an all-star cast of modern-day musical cinema including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and the birthday girl herself Zendaya. Showing off her magnificent singing pipes, the actress was one of the highlights of the film alongside the ever-charismatic Jackman. It didn’t receive the greatest of reviews, but The Greatest Showman did become the third-highest grossing musical film in American history.

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As hero Spider-Man battles the illusionist Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Zendaya’s MJ becomes more and more important in the life of his alter-ego Peter Parker. As MJ and Peter travel across Europe, the young man’s plan to date his mysterious classmate gets interrupted by typical superhero shenanigans.

Eventually finding out that Peter is Spider-Man, MJ becomes an important part of “the team”. Boosted so heavily by her real-life romance with Tom Holland, their chemistry makes the duo feel like a cute couple.

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HBO Max’s saucy teenage drama Euphoria stars Zendaya as recovering drug addict Rue Bennet, a different role for the young actress that allowed her to show off her acting range. A dark drama, Euphoria also stars Sydney Sweeney, Maude Apatow, and Alexa Demie and is one of the most talked-about shows on Twitter. In fact, the role also earned Zendaya her very first Emmy –Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – becoming the youngest person to take home the award.

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A surprise trailblazer in Hollywood, Malcolm and Marie became the first film to be written, produced, and financed during the pandemic. Shot in the summer of 2020, Zendaya’s artsy romantic flick saw her coupled with Tenet star John David Washington in a black-and-white feature. Whilst not getting the critical reception it aimed for, it did get picked up by Netflix and won the Best Cinematography award at the Black Reel Awards.

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Whilst Zendaya is mostly relegated to appearing in a few trippy dream sequences in Dune, she finally gets to meet Timothee Chamelet’s lead Paul in the film’s final act. Set for a much larger role in Dune: Part Two, it’s a testament to Zendaya’s work rate that she worked on this film alongside fellow 2021 hit Spider-Man: No Way Home. But will she get to travel inside of a giant sandworm in Dune: Part Two?

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The highest-grossing film of 2021 and a film that symbolized a change in cinemagoing in a pandemic world, Zendaya is one of the top-billed in the ensemble cast of Spider-Man: No Way Home. After Peter Parker is outed as Spider-Man, the lives of the ones he loves are thrown out the window alongside his. MJ remains a crucial part of his life but ends up tragically being forced out of Peter’s life as Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) performs the mindwipe spell on the world. We can only assume she’ll learn who Peter is again in future films.

In The Greatest Showman, Michelle Williams sings, “a million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.” Now, the actress has shared that one of those dreams is a sequel to the 2017 musical theatre hit that took the world by storm. “I would make another one of those in a heartbeat,” Williams told Variety, adding, “I wish they’d make a sequel.”

Williams’ love for The Greatest Showman — in which she starred alongside fellow renowned actors Hugh Jackman, Zendaya, and Zac Efron, to name a few – is palpable. The actress had nothing but praise for the movie’s ability to bring “so much joy to so many people,” especially with its astounding soundtrack that had everybody out there belting show tunes like Never Enough and Rewrite The Stars.

“To make people that happy, man that is a worthwhile thing to spend your time doing. I really love that movie. My daughter Matilda sang those songs. My mom is still listening to that soundtrack.”

Williams contributed to the film’s catalog with songs Tightrope and A Million Dreams as she embodied Charity Barnum, the wife of Hugh Jackman’s P. T. Barnum, the greatest showman himself.

News of a possible sequel has gone back and forth now for a few years. Back in 2019, director Michael Gracey revealed that the discussions “[had] started” and that the team was “working” on it at the time. A couple of years later, however, Hugh Jackman sounded less hopeful when he said he didn’t think the sequel’s pre-production was going anywhere.

So is “a million dreams all it’s gonna take” to make a second The Greatest Showman happen?

While Disney Plus still has a lot of catching up to do on its rivals, it can easily boast one of the strongest collections of corporate-owned content on the streaming market. One of the biggest films of the last few years, and a beloved Hugh Jackman project to boot, is finding a lot of love today on the service. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the well-established favorite The Greatest Showman, which arrived on D+ on August 14th on the back of significant anticipation and is currently the ninth most-watched film on the platform. The arrival of The Greatest Showman on the Disney streamer is notable for it being the first time that the movie has been made available as part of an existing subscription, rather than as a rental or purchase. For those that aren’t aware, Showman focuses on Jackman’s P.T. Barnum and his American Museum in the 19th century. Director Michael Gracey keeps the energy flowing, while the likes of Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, and Zendaya round out a strong cast. Despite not being to everyone’s taste, The Greatest Showman does have several excellent and ear-worm-worthy songs, while Jackman’s performance makes it hard not to warm to the theatrics on show. The production ended up generating around $435 million worldwide on a budget of $84 million, making it one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time. Fans have been able to catch Showman as a digital since March 2018, and on various formats later that year. It now seems, then, that people are enjoying a rewatch of the picture on D+, or catching it for the first time after considerable word-of-mouth. Although the novelty factor may have worn off a bit after several years of availability, the Mouse House can add the musical to the recent success of Hamilton in drawing in new subscribers and retaining ones who may be starting to struggle to find things to watch. With Mulan soon to the Disney platform as a PVOD experiment, the company will likely be hoping that exclusive premieres and the draw of recent hits such as The Greatest Showman are enough to keep viewers happy as we head into the fall season.

Hugh Jackman may have shot from obscurity to superstardom almost overnight once he ed the cast of Bryan Singer’s X-Men two weeks after shooting had already started, and Wolverine will always be the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think about the actor, but his first love has always been musical theater. His last role before being whisked off to Hollywood was in a stage production of Oklahoma! on London’s West End, and since rocketing to the top of the A-list, the Australian star has gone on to win a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and hosted the ceremony itself four times, even scooping a Primetime Emmy for his efforts in 2005. If anything proves Jackman’s love for the genre though, it’s the fact that one of the first things he did after retiring as Wolverine was to go on an 88-date worldwide concert tour called The Man. The Music. The Show. The live variety performances incorporated a lot of the songs from his fan favorite movie The Greatest Showman, and subscribers will now be able to check out the smash hit musical when it arrives on Disney Plus this week (on August 14th), whether it be for the first or fiftieth time. While Hugh Jackman scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy, the movie itself wasn’t exactly universally beloved by critics and holds middle-of-the-road scores of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes and 48 on Metacritic. That being said, despite a slow start at the box office where it opened in fourth place with just $9 million, it went on to remain in the Top 10 for an incredible fifteen weeks on its way to a global haul of $435 million, with the soundtrack selling over 7 million copies in the process. Following on from the zeitgeist-grabbing Hamilton, Disney will no doubt be hoping that The Greatest Showman will prove to be just as popular for fans looking for their next musical fix, and you’ll be able to check it out for yourself this Friday.

Without a doubt, La La Land reignited Hollywood’s hunger for a modern musical, acting as proof that not only is the genre still economically feasible, but the films it produces also stand a chance of being both critical and commercial hits – in the right hands, of course. The Greatest Showman, while not quite as successful as La La Land, was still a big winner, earning lots of love from audiences thanks to its terrific soundtrack and enjoyable rags-to-riches story of P.T. Barnum, the man credited as the founding father of show business. Logan actor Hugh Jackman took the lead, with Baywatch‘s Zac Efron starring opposite him. Meanwhile, Zendaya and Michelle Williams also featured, among others. And now, almost three years after its release, it’s finally coming to one of the major streaming services. Yes, The Greatest Showman is headed to Disney Plus this summer. On August 14th, to be specific. And given that this is the first time it’ll be available on one of the big streaming platforms, we’ve no doubt that viewers will eat it up. Especially since a feel-good movie like this one is something we could all use in these trying times. True, the pic isn’t without its flaws, and again, it wasn’t quite as critically adored and showered with awards as the aforementioned La La Land, but it’s still a very enjoyable movie and one that can easily be rewatched multiple times. In fact, you could even argue that The Greatest Showman gets better on repeat viewings as the music becomes more familiar and easier to sing along with. But tell us, do you plan on catching it on Disney Plus later this summer? As always, let us know by dropping a comment down below.

The subreddit ‘MovieDetails’ is a real treasure trove for anyone who considers themselves a cinephile. From The Matrix to The Greatest Showman, no film is sparred from the eagle-eyed s of Reddit, and it seems the latter contains a Wolverine Easter egg so subtle, you probably didn’t spot it the first time around. Hidden with The Greatest Showman‘s opening credits, below you’ll see what appears to be Logan’s bulging arms woven into the circus-themed border design, along with those signature adamantium claws. And unless our eyes are deceiving us, we’re pretty sure that’s a literal Easter egg perched on top of Wolverine’s shoulders. Like we said, it’s an incredibly subtle detail, so you’d be forgiven for overlooking the old-timey artistry. Via Reddit:

It’s interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that [Wolverine ing the Marvel Cinematic Universe] would be so great. Like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together. And every time I saw an Avengers movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head. But it was like, ‘Oh well, that’s not gonna happen.’

Alas, for Jackman, that ship has sailed, but it’s fair to say that fans won’t forget his Wolverine in a hurry, nor the 17-year legacy that preceded him. The Greatest Showman, on the other hand, is currently available to pick up on Blu-ray and DVD, and we still can’t get those damned songs out of our heads…

Fire up your off-brand Nintendo gaming systems, because the Cinemaholics are back this week to review Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Greatest Showman, your two new releases for getting through the holiday weekend. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black and is a reboot/sequel of the original Jumanji starring the late Robin Williams, which came out in 1995. Instead of a magical board game where animals come to life and wreak havoc though, the teen characters of Welcome to the Jungle are transported into a video game world that’s far deadlier, where they must traverse a dangerous high-fantasy jungle in order to get back home. Being a double-feature episode, we also review The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson. Based incredibly loosely on vague events from the life of P.T. Barnum, this show-stopping musical tells the glamorized version of how Barnum invented the three-ring circus. Later in the podcast, the Cinemaholics talk about some other films and shows they’ve been watching. Jon discusses one of his favorite movies of the year: Call Me By Your Name and one of his new favorite shows, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime Video. Also, Will finally shares his thoughts on Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, while everyone chimes in to discuss The Killing of a Sacred Deer. If you like what you hear, become a Cinemaholic! Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube via the WGTC channel or available episodes on iTunes or directly from the full archive. Feel free to hang out with us on Facebook and Twitter for episode updates as well, and be sure to email cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com to submit any and all . You might just hear your email read on next week’s show!

It’s no secret that La La Land reignited Hollywood’s hunger for a modern musical, and that’s despite the fact that Damien Chazelle’s dreamy love story was piped at the post by Moonlight in spectacular fashion during February’s Oscar ceremony. Perhaps more than anything else, La La Land stands as concrete proof that a modern-day musical is not only economically feasible, but also has the chance to become a critical and commercial hit – in the right hands, of course – and one director stepping up to the plate later this year is Michael Gracey. His movie? The Greatest Showman, an original drama which looks to chronicle the remarkable rags-to-riches story of P.T. Barnum, who is often credited as the founding father of show business. Trading mutants for musicals is Logan actor Hugh Jackman, who calls upon his Les Misérables experience in today’s brand new trailer for the pic. Baywatch actor Zac Efron stars opposite Jackman as Barnum’s loyal assistant, while Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s Zendaya can be seen as a talented trapeze artist. Michelle Williams, meanwhile, co-stars as Barnum’s wife, Charity. And make no mistake, the inspirations of La La Land run deep in The Greatest Showman, as Fox’s potentially Oscar-worthy film will feature original music composed by La La Land and Dear Evan Hanson duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, on the other hand, are the brains behind the screenplay, and it’ll be interesting to watch how audiences react to an old-timey musical. Here’s the official logline:

“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. “The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

The Greatest Showman will sing and dance its way into theatres in time for December 25th, when 20th Century Fox’s high-profile musical will open opposite Universal sequel Pitch Perfect 3.

It’s no secret that La La Land reignited Hollywood’s appetite for a modern musical, and that’s despite the fact that Damien Chazelle’s dreamy love story was piped at the post by Moonlight in spectacular fashion during February’s Oscar ceremony. Perhaps more than anything else, La La Land stands as living proof that a modern-day musical is not only economically feasible, but it also has the chance to become a critical and commercial hit – in the right hands, of course – and one director stepping up to the plate later this year is Michael Gracey. His movie? The Greatest Showman, an original drama set to chronicle the remarkable rags-to-riches story of P.T. Barnum, who is often credited as the founding father of show business. Trading mutants for musicals is Logan actor Hugh Jackman, who calls upon his Les Misérables experience in today’s first-look trailer. Baywatch actor Zac Efron stars opposite Jackman as Barnum’s loyal assistant, while Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s Zendaya can be seen as a talented trapeze artist. Michelle Williams, meanwhile, co-stars as Barnum’s wife, Charity. And make no mistake, the inspirations of La La Land run deep in The Greatest Showman, as Fox’s potentially Oscar-worthy romp will feature original music composed by La La Land and Dear Evan Hanson duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, on the other hand, are the brains behind the screenplay, and it’ll be fascinating to watch how audiences react to an old-timey musical. Here’s the official logline:

“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. “The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

The Greatest Showman will sing and dance its way into theatres in time for December 25th, when 20th Century Fox’s high-profile musical will open opposite The Current War and Universal sequel Pitch Perfect 3.