Hugh Jackman’s P.T. Barnum biopic to be rewritten by ‘Fifth Estate’ director Bill Condon

The Fifth Estate director Bill Condon is turning his attention from Julian Assange to circus legend P.T. Barnum. Condon has been hired to work on the script of the long-gestating biopic set to star Hugh Jackman.

The Greatest Showman on Earth was first scripted by Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City). Laurence Mark, who worked with Condon on his Oscar-winning film Dreamgirls in 2006, is producing.

Now, 20th Century Fox has hired Condon to rewrite the script for the film, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Thursday. Condon also wrote Dreamgirls and won an Oscar for writing Gods and Monsters, but he hasn’t taken a writing credit since Dreamgirls. He directed the last two Twilight films and The Fifth Estate, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Wikileaks’ Assange.

The Greatest Showman on Earth, which is being planned as a musical, is set to focus on Barnum’s relationship with singer Jenny Lind, but no actress has been cast for the role. Jackman has been attached to it for years and visual effects master Michael Gracey was signed to direct in August 2011. (Gracey is also signed to direct the Elton John biopic Rocketman.)

Last month, Jackman said that the Barnum film is in the works, but the Prisoners star has other commitments first. Condon is also set to direct A Slight Trick of the Mind.

image: Warner Bros.

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