The latest promo for the movie adaptation of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical, has arrived. Starring Anthony Ramos in the roll of Usnavi, the film adaptation is set to hit theaters and HBO Max on June 18th.
The musical adaptation was brought to the big screen by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, working off a screenplay by the musical’s original playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes as well as music and lyrics by Miranda. Chu describes the film as a universal story that cherishes family and the immigrant community: “You can’t change the world if they don’t want to change, but never underestimate the power of planting a seed. I believe that this movie is an amazingly beautiful seed that can change a lot of minds.”
In the Heights was was originally scheduled to premiere last June 2020, but the debut was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was primarily filmed in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood and was originally a Broadway musical. The movie “fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.”
The film had been in the works for over a decade, with Universal initially pulling the plug on their adaptation in 2011; following the success of Hamilton, the Weinstein Company acquired the rights to the musical in 2016, however that company’s downfall resulted in Warner Bros. ultimately bringing the movie to cinemas.