After facing a year-long delay due to COVID-19, the highly anticipated movie adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical In The Heights is almost here. Ahead of the film's release, Warner Bros. is giving fans a special sneak peek at the opening number. The first eight minutes of the film are now available to view on YouTube.
For those who may not have heard of In The Heights just yet, the musical was written by Lin Manuel Miranda. Though he's best known for his follow-up musical Hamilton, which he also wrote and starred in, In The Heights was Miranda's first critical darling. The musical was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, taking home trophies for Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations. In The Heights also won a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The big-screen adaptation sees Miranda's Hamilton co-star Anthony Ramos take over as leading man Usnavi. Miranda, a producer on the film, will also play the minor role of Piraguero, the Piragua Guy. Fans will catch a quick glimpse of Miranda in the film's opening.
Here's the official synopsis for In The Heights:
Lights up on Washington Heights...The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi, who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
In addition to Ramos, the musical adaptation stars: Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton), singer/songwriter Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (Vida), Olga Merediz (Broadway’sIn the Heights), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Broadway’s Rent), Gregory Diaz IV (Broadway’s Matilda the Musical), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Dascha Polanco (Orange is the New Black), and Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue).
In The Heights hits theatres and HBO Max on Thursday (June 10). Will you be tuning in?
Photo: Warner Bros.