Ryan Reynolds jokingly mocked ‘The Greatest Showman’ and its star, Hugh Jackman, continuing their track record of jovially insulting each other. The pair have a long history of ridiculing one another and their projects, although it’s all in good fun. Their light-hearted quarrels began while filming X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), which introduced a disappointing version of Reynolds' Deadpool, though a much more comic-accurate depiction of the character came to theaters in 2016.
The mock feud between the actors even managed to find its way into Reynolds’ work. Jokes about the rivalry ended up in Deadpool and its promotional material, bringing their fight to a wider audience. While Jackman certainly doesn’t shy away from occasionally firing back, it appears that the joke is mainly perpetuated by Reynolds, prompting many to ask him what inspires it. Reynolds has said in the past that there’s something about Jackman’s genuine kindness that just gets under his skin, making him lash out. Keeping up their running gag, Reynolds pokes fun at The Greatest Showman during an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment. Two child reporters ask Reynolds why he’s “so mean to The Greatest Showman?” Reynolds comically fumes, furious that Jackman demands to be given such a pompous title, especially when Reynolds supplied an array of different names that he finds much more fitting. Read the full quote below:
OK, Luna. These are the kinds of questions I like. I know for a fact he's the one who named that movie. I think it's pathetic and disgusting that he called the movie that. And I think it's pathetic and disgusting that he insists people call him The Greatest Showman everywhere he goes, including you, just young, impressionable kids. Goodness gracious. ... He is The Greatest Showman, one might say. They didn't go with my title, which I liked way better, which was Mediocre Showman or Meh Showman. No, they went with greatest. Preposterous. -Screen Rant