Thursday, March 28, 2024

Matinee Idol Zac Efron Is Unlikely Pop Star as “Greatest Showman” Soundtrack Sells Like Crazy– Movie, Not So Much

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Zac Efron has been a matinee idol for a long time. He’s been in good movies (“Hairspray”) and bad (“Baywatch”). Really bad.

And now Zac Efron is a pop star. As a member of the cast of “The Greatest Showman” starring Hugh Jackman, Efron has a large role. But his most important part in that movie is as a..singer.

For some reason, the soundtrack to “The Greatest Showman” is a massive hit. It was number 1 all through the holidays and continues to be right now. The soundtrack’s popularity is spurred by a track on the album called “Rewrite the Stars” with Zendaya.

So far the album has sold roughly 150,000 copies over two weeks. The movie, meantime, has made $60,721,000, which is ok but not great. “The Greatest Showman” should do around $80 million, which is also alright but not a blockbuster.

What’s making the soundtrack soar? First of all, “Rewrite the Stars” is a hit on iTunes on Spotify. Radio play is still elusive, but that doesn’t matter. “Rewrite” is written by Oscar and Tony winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who’ve already had an amazing year with “La La Land” and “Dear Evan Hansen.”

 

“The Greatest Showman” CD also boasts SEVEN other individual tracks on the iTunes Top 100 besides “Rewrite.” It’s a phenomenon of some kind. PT Barnum would be proud.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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