In a surprise move, the film of the original Broadway production is being released 15 months early.
It’s going to be quite a while before anyone sees “Hamilton” onstage again.
But there’s now another option: Disney announced Tuesday that it plans to stream a filmed version of the stage production beginning July 3 on Disney Plus.
The movie consists largely of filmed performances, featuring the original Broadway cast, shot at the Richard Rodgers Theater in June 2016. The film, like the stage production, is directed by Thomas Kail; Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the musical, stars in the title role.
The release date is not accidental: the musical depicts the American Revolution, and July 4 is Independence Day in the United States.
“Hamilton,” about the life and death of Alexander Hamilton, who was the nation’s first secretary of the Treasury, has been a huge blockbuster since opening on Broadway in 2015. The show won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama, as well as 11 Tony Awards, including the prize for best new musical.
The show has grossed $650 million on Broadway, where it has been seen by 2.6 million people. And, before live performances around the world were shuttered in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, it was also playing in London and several North American touring productions.
