Get ready to celebrate July 4th in style. Despite movie theaters closing down due to COVID-19, the filmed version of hit Broadway musical Hamilton will not throw away its shot. Initially planned to arrive in theaters next year, Hamilton will now arrive on streaming service Disney Plus on July 3rd, just in time for Independence Day. This is especially fitting, since the musical tells the story of Alexander Hamilton and his role in the American Revolution and the founding of a new nation.
Hamilton the musical arrived at The Public Theater in 2015 and moved to Broadway that year, quickly becoming a hit sensation. The filmed version will consist of original cast members including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, and Leslie Odom, Jr. Unlike Miranda’s other hit musical, In the Heights, the film version of Hamilton is not a remake but rather a live capture of the Broadway musical. The rights to the filmed version of musical went to Disney for $75 million. The biggest surprise of the release of the filmed version is that it will arrive over a year earlier than originally planned, since Disney initially announced an October 15th, 2021 release date for movie theaters.
While Disney has delayed the release of upcoming movies such as Mulan and Black Widow, this appears to be an experiment on the part of the studio as it marks its first major movie to debut on Disney Plus. News of the exclusive Disney Plus release came via the official Hamilton Twitter account. For the many who have tried to get tickets to Hamilton on Broadway and failed (or paid hundreds of dollars), this will likely be a welcome and much cheaper alternative.