Upcoming musical In the Heights joins many other movies in pushing back its premiere date. In the Heights initially was a theatrical production that made its Broadway debut in 2005 and ran for seven years. The hit musical served as composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s big break out that allowed him to compose Tony Award Best Musical winner Hamilton. He also worked on the Disney feature film Moana. The much-anticipated feature film adaption of In the Heights follows in the footsteps of many successful musicals that went from the stage to the big screen including Hairspray, Grease, and West Side Story.
The In the Heights feature was initially set to premiere in theaters June 26th, 2020. However, at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, its premiere date was postponed indefinitely. Warner Bros. has now announced that In the Heights will premiere on June 18th, 2021, nearly a year after its original premiere date. Warner Bros. also revealed the film is filling the space it previously had reserved for an “untitled film event” on June 25th, 2021.
Since the announcement, director Jon M. Chu tweeted his explanation on the decision to postpone the film. He explained that after “long conversations” and “sleepless nights,” he and Warner Bros. agreed it was in the best interest of the film and safety of moviegoers to postpone the premiere date. Miranda added his own lyrical sentiments.
In the Heights is a feature version of the Broadway musical, in which a bodega owner has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic after inheriting his grandmother’s fortune.
Source: Screenrant, by NATALIE HUNTER