Jon M. Chu in talks to direct film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights
The Washington Heights-set musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008, with Hamilton picking up this year's prize
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Your support makes all the difference.An extra benefit to the general Hamilton hysteria has been the light shone on Lin-Manuel Miranda's earlier, and equally excellent stage show, In the Heights.
With Hamilton picking up the Tony Award for Best Musical at this year's ceremony, as did In the Heights in 2008, it's no surprise to see the Weinstein Co. sniffing around in search for Hollywood's next Les Miserables-style hit.
In the Heights is certainly a strong choice here; set in New York's Washington Heights, the show focuses on a bodega owner shutting down his store ahead of retiring to the Dominican Republic, after inheriting his grandmother's fortune. Miranda penned both music and lyrics for the show, as well as starring in the lead role during its original run, earning him the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
And now, it appears as if the studio's film adaptation of In the Heights has found its director; John M. Chu, who is in early talks for the job, as Variety reports. Though this will be his first musical, he's not a stranger to music at large; having directed Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, and the concert movie Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
Chu also clearly has a handle on large studio projects, being behind Hollywood's latest sequel output, Lionsgate's Now You See Me 2.
Miranda is producing the film, which had previously been set at Universal with Kenny Ortega attached to direct and Miranda starring; though there's no confirmation whether Miranda will also star in this iteration. Considering his popularity as an individual talent, it seems likely, though he'll have a tough time fitting it into his enviably busy schedule.
Indeed, the multi-talented force already seems to be the man of the moment at Disney; having already penned the cantina music in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, his work will also be featured in the upcoming South Pacific-set animation Moana, as well as Miranda starring opposite Emily Blunt in Disney's Mary Poppins Returns.
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