Lin-Manuel Miranda Talks ‘Hamilton,’ ‘In The Heights’ Movie Adaptations

Movie adaptations of Broadway shows are always tricky, but Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda is ready to take the leap for Hamilton and In The Heights.

Hip-hop Broadway musical Hamilton created by Lin-Manuel Miranda has become a phenomenal success ever since it transferred to Broadway in August 2015. Hamilton has toppled and set new Broadway records, amassing 16 Tony nominations (11 were won), getting named 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and receiving the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Although creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has been in the Broadway for quite a while now, gaining accolades for a lot of his many previous musical stints, Hamilton has really been Lin-Manuel’s biggest break, propelling him to stardom in and out of Broadway. It’s a huge break, really, that although Hamilton tackles American history, the musical has even gained cult followings outside the United States, some even flying in just to get a chance to watch Lin-Manuel on the stage.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s success with Hamilton is now opening doors for him regarding translating his musical masterpieces into the big screen. While Lin-Manuel’s American Broadway creations such as In The Heights, Bring It On, and Hamilton, only tapped a small segment of the theater-savvy population, translating his musicals into film adaptations would let his creations reach a wider, global market. Lin-Manuel tells Deadlinehis big screen plans for Hamilton and In The Heights.

In The Heights was a musical born on Broadway in 2008, which was composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda with the help of Quiara Alegría Hudes. In The Heights was about a boy named Usnavi (also played by Lin-Manuel), who owned a small bodega in Washington Heights. He dreamed of returning to the Dominican Republic, where he was born, but realized that he had been home all along.

Lin-Manuel’s In The Heights was such a huge, huge success that it was produced in ten other countries after a three-year North American tour. Now it seems that the flame of Lin-Manuel’s In The Heights is far from burning out as he reveals that In The Heights is already confirmed to come to the movie theaters. Lin-Manuel tells Deadline that The Weinstein Company has bought the rights for the film adaptation and Jon Chu is the director.

“Well, that one is in the works. The Weinstein Company has the rights. Jon Chu is going to direct. So, that one is in Quiara’s court right now, Quiara [Alegria Hudes], my co-writer on In The Heights, is working on the screenplay as we speak. The Weinsteins’ track record is really good, and Jon Chu in particular, like, the sequences he’s made for some of those Step Up films were so extraordinary. I’m really excited to see how he stages some of these musical numbers in In The Heights. I think it’s a really inspired choice.”

As the screenplay goes along, Lin-Manuel shares that he will be more involved in the making of the movie. But as of now, he has Hamilton and Moana to keep him very busy.

Talks of Hamilton getting a film adaptation has also been going around as early as June, Colliderreports. Lin-Manuel did confirm to USA Today that he filmed two Hamilton performances with the original Hamilton cast before he left his role in July.

But in terms of Hamilton‘s legitimate film adaptation, Broadway World reports that Lin-Manuel believes Hamilton has got a long way to go before hitting the big screen. It will happen, yes, but not very soon. Lin-Manuel admits that this decision is him, ultimately, wanting to see more theater productions for Hamilton, surely in the same way as (or even more successful than) In The Heights.

Lin-Manuel explains as follows.

“I think it’s a ways off, and only because I’m being selfish as a playwright. I want as many people to see the show in its musical theater form as possible before it’s translated, and whether it’s a good act of translation or a bad act of translation, it’s a leap, and very few stage shows manage the leap successfully.

“So, I want to wait for more people to be able to see the show, and right now, you can only see it in two places [New York and Chicago]. By the end of next year, you’ll be able to see it in four places.”

As of now, Lin-Manuel Miranda is working on a Mary Poppins role, will be featured in upcoming Disney movie Moana, and will continue his post-Hamilton stints on and off cam.

While we wait in line to get tickets to Hamilton, or for that film adaptation, check out Lin-Manuel Miranda recounting the history of Alexander Hamilton, drunk.

lin drunk and telling the story of hamilton is hilarious @Lin_Manuel pic.twitter.com/fl4hsZvxab

— ellen (@agentbartonn) November 23, 2016

[Featured Image by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images]