In The Heights - What We Know So Far

"Hamilton" is arguably the most popular and influential musical to come out in the 21st century. Its fame only grew more exponentially when a stage performance of the Broadway musical was filmed and released on Disney+ in the summer of 2020. People who ordinarily wouldn't have had an opportunity to see the show could finally witness it in all of its glory, and it's all thanks to the brilliant mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, but the thing a lot of people may not know about Miranda is that "Hamilton" is by no means his first musical. 

Years before "Hamilton" would even grace the stage, Miranda put together a different story about a man doing everything he can to be remembered and lead a better life. "In the Heights" first came to Broadway in 2008, and while it was originally supposed to come to theaters in 2020, it had a take a backseat in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, it looks like the musical is back on the docket with a new trailer to celebrate its impending release, and fans can finally watch it in all of its glory very soon.

Many movies had to forfeit their release dates in 2020 after virtually all theaters had to close during the zenith of the COVID-19 pandemic, including "In the Heights," which was originally slated to drop on June 26, 2020. Fortunately, it appears as though the movie isn't going to have to deal with another delay with its new release date coming pretty much a year after the original. If everything goes according to plan, then "In the Heights" will be available for all to watch on June 11, 2021. 

As a Warner Bros. film, "In the Heights" is part of the studio's bold new release strategy that affects all of its movies in 2021. Not only will the musical drop in theaters on June 11, but it will also be available to HBO Max subscribers on that same date and for 30 days afterward. That means if you're still iffy about returning to a theater at this time, then you can watch "In the Heights" from the comfort of your home with the whole family. 

Musical fans will undoubtedly recognize the actor in the lead role of "In the Heights" as Anthony Ramos, who portrays John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in "Hamilton" on Disney+. For "In the Heights," he plays protagonist Usnavi de la Vega, which was originally played by Lin-Manuel Miranda on Broadway; however, according to an in-depth exploration of the movie done by Variety, it was revealed that Miranda believed he was too old when it came time to do the film adaptation. But don't worry; Miranda still makes a cameo appearance within "In the Heights" as Piraguero, the Piragua Guy. 

The cast includes a ton of other talented actors you likely recognize, including the likes of Corey Hawkins ("Straight Outta Compton"), Gregory Diaz IV ("Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"), Stephanie Beatriz ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine"), and Jimmy Smits ("NYPD Blue"). The movie's also bringing together some serious Latin musical talent with superstar Marc Anthony joining the cast as well as Leslie Grace and Melissa Barrera.

In case you haven't had the pleasure of watching "In the Heights" performed on stage, the musical follows bodega owner, Usnavi, who dreams of one day earning enough money to go back to his native Dominican Republic. While he grinds every day, he cares for his elderly neighbor and pines for the beautiful girl who works at the beauty salon nearby. Meanwhile, there's Nina (Grace) who returns to the neighborhood she grew up in after her first year of college, and while she longs to be in a relationship with Benny (Hawkins) and give up her college dreams, her parents oppose that idea entirely because they want her to lead a successful career. They're even prepared to go bankrupt to do so. 

Even if you're already familiar with the musical, there are still bound to be a few surprises in store given the fact Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a new song just for the film (via Broadway World). Keep an eye out for it as the movie releases on June 11, and be prepared for people to become just as obsessed with it as they were for "Hamilton."