After striking a chord with fans all over the world, the award-winning musical Hamilton is now headed to the big screen. The motion picture musical developed by original star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney will not be an adaptation per se but a filmed version of the original Broadway play.
The official Hamilton Facebook page confirmed the news:
“Disney to release Hamilton with the Original Broadway Cast. Filmed on stage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. In a theater near you. October 15, 2021.”
Although most fans would have preferred a straight up adaptation of the film, the decision for this route for Hamilton seems sensible, especially considering the less than stellar reception Cats received. The critically-panned musical adaptation flopped tremendously at the box-office.
Hamilton though should pull in decent figures at the box-office considering the fact that it won’t be that expensive to produce. The ‘live capture’ element is not only cost effective but it also aims to transport audiences into the Broadway show.
Hamilton has been a stellar hit on Broadway with sold-out shows in New York, so finding an audience who wants to experience this critically-acclaimed musical should not prove much of a problem for Disney. In fact, it may well even extend the popularity of the show to a wider global audience.