The hit 2008 Broadway musical is finally making its way to the big screen, and it’s had some important updates.
Movies & TV The 2008 Broadway smash has finally hit the big screen. In the Heights creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has dreamed of seeing his musical on the big screen since 2008 — and now, it’s finally arrived. Helmed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, the long-awaited movie is luscious and visually experimental, full of artistic choices that can only be pulled off onscreen. It’s a worthy adaptation of the buoyant, much-loved stage production. That said, fans of the musical may notice that it’s not a scene-for-scene reproduction. Telling the story onscreen necessitated some important changes, and the creators also updated storylines and revised character arcs — all while keeping the core story faithful to the musical. So what are the biggest differences between the In the Heights Broadway show and the 2021 film? Check out nine big changes below. Be warned, mild spoilers for the In the Heights film follow. Miranda took on the lead role in the original musical, and had hoped to do the same in the movie — but by the time production began, he felt he’d “aged out” of the part. Miranda still appears onscreen though, as the charming Piragua Guy. Hamilton ’s Anthony Ramos, who played Usnavi in the 2018 Kennedy Center production of In the Heights, was cast as the lead instead. (That’s not the only Hamilton cameo: keep your eyes peeled for Christopher Jackson.
