Movies

IN THE HEIGHTS Trailer Brings Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Music to NYC

by Andrea Towers
Dec 11 2019 • 10:54 AM

Lights up on Washington Heights… the official trailer for the upcoming film adaptation of the award-winning musical from Hamilton (and In The Heights creator/star) Lin-Manuel Miranda was revealed today via Miranda’s Twitter account. This on the heels of the teaser and poster, which hit the web yesterday, surging excitement for Miranda’s musical tale about life in the titular Manhattan neighborhood, where the Broadway show takes place and where Miranda grew up.

The film features an entire Latino cast and includes original Broadway cast members like Olga Merediz reprising their roles. (The movie will also feature real residents from Washington Heights, some of which Miranda highlighted on his social media during filming this summer.) Nonetheless, just hearing the iconic opening among the colorful array of dancing and enthusiasm makes us excited for what’s to come.

The popular musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2008, tells the story of people living in Miranda’s real-life neighborhood of New York’s Washington Heights—from the immigrants who put it all on the line to support their family, to the girl who just wants to get out and escape her past, to the shop owners and community members who have built their lives around the block that they call home.

While Miranda is now best known for Hamilton—or one of his many other projects including Mary Poppins Returns, Moana, and His Dark Materials—In The Heights put the creator on the map. The show was hailed for its original songs and smart use of freestyle rap and hip-hop in a contemporary theater score and ended up being nominated for 13 Tony Awards. It won four, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestrations, as well as a 2009 Grammy Award for Best Musical Album.

The Warner Bros. film will be directed by Crazy Rich Asians‘ John Chu with a screenplay by the musical’s original book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes. Miranda will serve as a producer, but never one to sit on the sidelines when he already has a dozen other jobs to worry about, he’ll also make an appearance in the movie as well—not as Usnavi, the role he originated on Broadway, but as Piraguero, a local neighborhood vendor who sells flavored ice to the community.

As if fans weren’t already hyped from the poster, teaser, and news of a trailer tomorrow, Miranda also posted a short behind-the-scenes video to Twitter in which he, Chu, and star Jimmy Smits express their excitement for the long-awaited film.

The movie’s cast will merge seasoned Broadway stars with A-listers and up and coming performers, with original Hamilton cast member Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, Corey Hawkins as Benny, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa, Leslie Grace as Nina, Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, RENT‘s Daphne Rubin-Vega as Daniela, Brooklyn 99‘s Stephanie Beatriz as Carla, Dascha Polanco as Cuca, Gregory Diaz IV as Sonny, Marc Antony as Sonny’s father, Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario, and Noah Catala as Graffiti Pete.

In The Heights will be released on June 26, 2020.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.