In The Heights (2021 Film)

[Nick]

Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In the Heights' Gets New Life at The Weinstein Co. (Exclusive) - Hollywood Reporter

The Weinstein Co. has acquired the rights to Lin-Manuel Miranda's other hit musical, In The Heights. The timing is obviously optimal. Hamilton is up for a record amount of Tony's, Lin just announced he's leaving Broadway July 9th, and he has Moana and Mary Poppins Returns in the works. He's a big name right now, so this is perfect timing.

Lin has said he will NOT be playing Usnavi in the film:



This isn't Weinstein's first venture into musicals. They made Chicago back in 2002, which went on to win Best Picture and helped to revive the musical-movie genre.

 

[Disneyhead]

I love In The Heights. I saw it on Broadway with Karen Olivo. And then I saw the road show here in Orlando. I am looking forward to see what they can do with it.

 

[Nick]

I love In The Heights. I saw it on Broadway with Karen Olivo. And then I saw the road show here in Orlando. I am looking forward to see what they can do with it.

I wish I could've seen Olivo. I love her on the cast recording, but there's a video of her singing "Champagne" on youtube I always circle back around to and her and Lin's chemistry was amazing.

 

[Eckert]

This will be nice to have, considering the sad news of Lin Manuel leaving Hamilton in JULY.

The OBC is supposed to stay on Broadway forever until I can get a ticket

 

[quinnmac000]

Hopefully it actually gets out of development this time unlike what happened in 2011.

 

[Teebin]

^ What is OBC?

 

[Eckert]

^ What is OBC?

Original Broadway Cast!

 

[Nick]

This will be nice to have, considering the sad news of Lin Manuel leaving Hamilton in JULY.

The OBC is supposed to stay on Broadway forever until I can get a ticket

I feel the same way. I'm fighting back flying up there and spending a bunch of money just to see them once, but Lin has said he will open the West End version and i've a feeling there's a good chance he opens the touring production as well (Like he did with Heights). So there's still a chance.

 

[Nick]

Hopefully it actually gets out of development this time unlike what happened in 2011.

Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for the original stage show, has a script written for this that they are working with. Supposedly Weinstein wants to shoestring this budget at $15M though so we'll see. The version in 2011 was supposed to have a $37M budget.

 

[Disneyhead]

I wish I could've seen Olivo. I love her on the cast recording, but there's a video of her singing "Champagne" on youtube I always circle back around to and her and Lin's chemistry was amazing.

I also got to see her Tony Award winning role as Anita in West Side Story. She set the stage on fire. You know, she's from Winter Haven?

 

[quinnmac000]

Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for the original stage show, has a script written for this that they are working with. Supposedly Weinstein wants to shoestring this budget at $15M though so we'll see. The version in 2011 was supposed to have a $37M budget.

I see problem arising with that budget for sure. But hey can't be worse than what they did to Mama Mia.

 

[Nick]

I also got to see her Tony Award winning role as Anita in West Side Story. She set the stage on fire. You know, she's from Winter Haven?

I had heard she was from somewhere around here, I didn't remember exactly where though. I wish she would come back to the stage.

I know the sound is crap because their using a temp set-up and bullhorns, but I still love this:

 

[quinnmac000]

John M Chu is the leading man for directing this. Mind you he has directed Jem and the Holograms, Now you see me 2, Step up 3d, and Step Up 2

 

[Nick]

John M Chu is the leading man for directing this. Mind you he has directed Jem and the Holograms, Now you see me 2, Step up 3d, and Step Up 2

Ugh... Maybe this'll be his breakout?

 

[Nick]

Looking at the majority of what he's directed, it's been low-budget stuff. The Weinsten Co. wants this movie to come in somewhere around $15M, so I have to think that played a role in them choosing him.

 

[quinnmac000]

Looking at the majority of what he's directed, it's been low-budget stuff. The Weinsten Co. wants this movie to come in somewhere around $15M, so I have to think that played a role in them choosing him.

Still none of his films have been what people would call great films. Especially not Jem and the Holograms (worst movie I have ever seen in my life)

 

[Nick]

Still none of his films have been what people would call great films. Especially not Jem and the Holograms (worst movie I have ever seen in my life)

Well, no. But with Harvey Weinstein and Miranda on as Executive producers, I have to think they aren't going to let this be absolute trash. Lin will be very protective of his baby.

 

[Disneyhead]

All he has to do is a bare bones translation of the play. No big rework necessary here. It literally has like 4 locations, the Bodaga, the Salon, the Taxi Co., and The Club. That's it.

 

[Nick]

All he has to do is a bare bones translation of the play. No big rework necessary here. It literally has like 4 locations, the Bodaga, the Salon, the Taxi Co., and The Club. That's it.

I mean, they could literally go to Washington Heights, work with the city to shoot on location for a few days and it wouldn't take much more. I suspect they'll use a backlot though, but i'd love it if they actually did the real thing.

 

[Nick]

So an update on this:

• Warner Brothers nabbed this after The Weinstein Company debacle.
  
• Release date: June 26, 2020
• Cast: Anthony Ramos (Usnavi), Corey Hawkins (Benny)
• Jon M. Chu is still directing
• Marc Klein is penning the script, with musical book by Quiara Alegría Hudes (probably more of a credit than anything as she did the musical book for broadway)

Knowing that Lin-Manuel Miranda is too old for the part now, I couldn't think of anyone i'd rather see play the role of Usnavi more than Anthony Ramos. He previously portrayed Usnavi during a 5 day stint at the Kennedy Center in DC last May, John Laurens and Phillip Hamilton (2015-16) in Hamilton and most recently was in A Star is Born. Corey Hawkins is another solid pick. Julliard graduate and was nominated for a Tony Award in 2017 (Six Degrees of Separation).

It was sort of hard to find a video of him singing, but here's what Hawkin's voice sounds like. I can definitely picture him as Benny with a voice like his:


‘In The Heights’ Finds Its Benny In Corey Hawkins | Deadline