The long-awaited movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’ In the Heights will debut on HBO Max and theaters at the same time next year. Currently, the film is set to be released on June 11, 2021.
This announcement comes as Warner Brothers announced their entire 2021 lineup, including Wonder Woman 1984, The Matrix 4, and more, will follow the same release strategy of simultaneously being available in theaters and HBO Max on their respective release dates. This comes as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
The story of In the Heights follows the residents of Washington Heights, a Manhattan neighborhood under the threat of disappearing, over the course of about three days. The film was originally set to be released on June 26 of this year. Directed by Jon M. Chu and featuring a screenplay by Hudes, the movie began filming in the summer of 2019 and features Anthony Ramos (Usnavi), Melissa Barrera (Vanessa), Stephanie Beatriz (Carla), Gregory Diaz IV (Sonny), Leslie Grace (Nina), Corey Hawkins (Benny), Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Daniela), and more. Lin-Manuel Miranda himself will also appear in the film in the role of Mr. Piragüero.
In the Heights originally opened on Broadway in 2008, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical features a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes and a score by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton). Miranda, Mandy Gonzalez, Christopher Jackson, Karen Olivo, Olga Merediz, Carlos Gomez, Priscilla Lopez, Robin de Jesus, Andrea Burns, Janet Decal, Seth Stewart, and Eliseo Roman made up the original cast, directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler.