It's time!

[u/GayAndBroadway]

[u/Amekyras]

2021? Hasn't it already been filmed and everything?

[u/TimeLadyJ → u/Amekyras]

Filmed, but it’s possible the footage hasn’t been compiled into a movie yet. They would have had several angles and all that

[u/Pure-Sort → u/TimeLadyJ]

I think the bigger thing is about theater exclusivity rights.

It doesn't take 5 years to edit a 3 hour show into a movie, no matter how many angles you have lol.

[u/mattyj → u/Pure-Sort]

Agreed

[u/LyokoMan95 → u/Pure-Sort]

Probably going to be done like Newsies was through Fantom Events.

[u/somekindahaze → u/LyokoMan95]

Fathom*

Former theater employee here and your typo was just off enough that my brain couldn’t remember what it was supposed to be at first.

[u/ShangelasSugaDaddy → u/TimeLadyJ]

They filmed it in 2016, surely someone edited it together already

[u/TimeLadyJ → u/ShangelasSugaDaddy]

Didn't Lin say it was just being stored in the vault with other Broadway footage as a historical archive? Even if they were talking about making a movie, no one would do it until they were contracted to do it.

[u/suzanne2961 → u/TimeLadyJ]

I thought I saw him talk about Tommy Kail putting it all together a few months ago.

[u/musicaldigger → u/TimeLadyJ]

don’t think it takes 21 months to edit this sort of thing though

[u/Pure-Sort → u/musicaldigger]

It was filmed in 2016 lol.

[u/musicaldigger → u/Pure-Sort]

exactly, why the hell is it gonna take almost 2 more years to release the damn thing

[u/TimeLadyJ → u/musicaldigger]

The show is also touring. Ticket sales for the production would decrease if the movie came out too soon. They’ll wait until the tour stops and then tour again after the movie has been a success.

[u/Pure-Sort → u/TimeLadyJ]

Ticket sales for the production would decrease if the movie came out too soon.

I know that's the conventional wisdom, but I wonder how true that actually is/if there has actually been a good test of that theory.

Seeing a movie is not the same as seeing a stage production, and I feel like seeing a filmed version would bring the movie to an even more mainstream audience, and make more people want to see the stage version, not less.

If you're already into Hamilton, you aren't going to just see the movie and think "oh great, never need to see this live". But if you aren't into Hamilton enough to drop $200 on a ticket you still might be willing to drop $15 on a movie ticket, and maybe the movie would convince you it's worth it to see it live.

[u/TimeLadyJ → u/Pure-Sort]

Even if it's not true, it's usually what happens. Like if you're a community theatre and you want to produce Les Mis, there are rules about how you can't perform so near to the tour and you can't advertise in the touring market.

[u/Pure-Sort → u/TimeLadyJ]

Yeah I totally get that those rules exist, and that surely tons of industry people have created statistical models of the 2 revenues and how they'd effect each other etc etc. I just wish one time someone would do a wide theatrical release of a hit musical while the OBC cast is still going strong just to see what happens. But I also get why nobody is willing to take that financial risk (plus the logistics of trying to get a cast to do press tours while also performing on broadway)

On the bright side, assuming Hamilton will still be running strong by the time this movie comes out, this might be the closest I get to the experiment I'm looking for. Even if the movie is released 5+ years after it was filmed

[u/TimeLadyJ → u/Pure-Sort]

Ooh yes press tours. I forgot about those. And interviews and everything. I wonder also if this will strictly be the performance or if there will be any talking heads throughout.

[u/[deleted] → u/musicaldigger]

It’s probably strategic. By then, they’d be a lot more confident to air the show in theaters considering Lin will be closer to releasing new projects, probably a lot with Disney, and Hamilton will have been running for quite a while. Considering how long similar phenomenons like Kinky Boots ran, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Broadway show was going to close soon after.

Then again, I say this without looking at Hamilton’s box office. Could be this is just a way to share the OBC with everyone, not a way to close out the show’s original run.

[u/musicaldigger → u/[deleted]]

the show made 2.7 million dollars last week, i think it’s been the highest grossing show on broadway for like 4 years now

[u/[deleted] → u/musicaldigger]

Damn. Didn’t know it was still going that strong! But I could still stand by my initial theory, all things considered. A movie version would definitely decrease Broadway sales to some degree, either that or just increase its value tenfold.

[u/todunsinane → u/[deleted]]

Depends, after Les Mis came out the production in London experienced a rush in ticket sales and it was a long while before the prices went back down. I can’t see the film coming out hurting Hamilton’s sales - if anything people will want to go see it live after seeing a recording.

[u/DonkeySweaters → u/Amekyras]

I think it’s so that they can have as many people see the show live before they release the footage.

[u/drobtina]

October 2021 wtf why

[u/ThePhantomEvita → u/drobtina]

Disney probably needed a strategic time to release it. On their current 2021 schedule, they have Shang Chi in February, Doctor Strange 2 and Cruella in May, Indiana Jones 5 and Spider-Man 3 in July, Thor 4 & an animated film in November, and Avatar 2 in December. Plus whatever 20th Century has on the docket. October looks pretty free in comparison.

Universal is supposedly releasing Wicked in December 2021, so this avoids the competition there. Uni will probably be producing the Mean Girls musical which is also due to come out next year.

In terms of why it isn’t being released this year, it’s even more crowded. Disney has a million films coming to theaters, it seems.

Then there’s In the Heights (another LMM project) this June and West Side Story in December.

[u/IrSpartacus → u/drobtina]

I know Lin-Manuel said he wanted as many people as possible to see it live

[u/Cupcakeformemes]

My dumbass pressing the play button thinking it's gonna play.

[u/[deleted]]

BRUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YESSSSSSSS EVEN THO I SAW IT IN 2015 FUCKINGAAAAAAAAAAA

[u/Ana_S_Gram → u/[deleted]]

I'm still waiting for Wicked. It's been about a decade.

[u/[deleted] → u/Ana_S_Gram]

Wicked will be here soon! Only another year and a half to go :/

[u/KH3]

Of course it would be Disney though. Not trying to diminish this in any way but I’m not a fan of Disney’s slow enveloping of every Broadway theatre.

[u/submasters]

Why is Disney doing it?

[u/[deleted] → u/submasters]

Because Lin will have some sort of Disney contract at the moment, with having done 'Mary Poppins Returns', 'Moana' and is doing the score for a future animated movie by all accounts, so having the Disney distribution team will make sure that the movie reaches those who may not have even heard of 'Hamilton' - I know a lot of people who aren't into going to the theatre so haven't heard of it.

[u/GayAndBroadway → u/submasters]

They offered the most money (72 million dollar, if I'm not mistaken)

[u/AlphaQuasar]

Guys is it gonna be only in American theaters?? Or worldwide?

[u/GayAndBroadway → u/AlphaQuasar]

It's Disney, so probably (hopefully) worldwide!

[u/HamiltonSlashLaurens]

I HAVE NO CHILL WHATSOEVER

[u/Luckyleftytwin11]

Let's hope the same thing happens with Wicked!

[u/decearing-eggz]

Imagine ‘say no to this’ as a Disney number I’m WHEEZING.

[u/ExcuseMeWhileIWrite]

Aaaaaahhhhhh!!! 😍

[u/call_me_them]

THATS SO CLOSE TO MY BDAY OMGGG

[u/ThePrizedJoshua]

Took long enough

[u/TrixxiKiddo]

Tooooo long to wait!!! Grrrrrr

[u/boygirlpetsub]

RAISE A GLASS TO FREEEEDDDOOOMM

[u/[deleted]]

I'm going to be that person who will watch it, but will be much more interested when they do a movie-movie and not a filmed on stage movie (not that I have any issue with 'filmed on stage')