Cunard and 20th Century Fox Film partnered to host the world premiere of “The Greatest Showman” on the Queen Mary 2 while the ship was docked in New York on Friday.
According to Cunard Line, this was the first time a Hollywood movie premiere took place on a passenger ship.
The cast of the movie, including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya, Director Michael Gracey and Oscar- and Tony-winning musical duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul walked the red carpet onboard Cunard’s vessel just before the film was shown in the ship’s Illuminations theater.
Captain Philpott, Master of Queen Mary 2, toasted the evening.
According to a statement, “The Greatest Showman” is a musical that celebrates the birth of show business, inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum,
During his life, P.T. Barnum sailed multiple times on various Cunard ships to cross the Atlantic between New York and England. Scenes from the movie were shot in the original U.S. headquarters of Cunard, a Italian Renaissance-style landmark building located at 25 Broadway in lower Manhattan.
Carnival Corporation leadership including Carnival Corp CEO Arnold Donald, Carnival UK CEO Stein Kruse, Carnival UK President Josh Weinstein, Cunard Senior Vice President Simon Palethorpe and Cunard Senior Vice President Josh Leibowitz were on hand at the event.
“The world premiere event of ‘The Greatest Showman’ on Queen Mary 2 tonight epitomizes the glamour and excitement that defines Cunard,” said Josh Leibowitz, Senior Vice President, Cunard North America. “We are thrilled to host the first major motion picture premiere on a Cunard ship and would welcome the opportunity to partner with 20th Century Fox again on future endeavors.”
