Disney, ever-determined to own everything you’ve ever loved, has just found its newest draw: Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda announced Monday that come next year, the House of Mouse will release a filmed version of Hamilton, starring the original cast, in cinemas nationwide. It’s an undeniable get, and apparently it came at a historic price of $75 million.
Deadline has exclusively reported the figure, citing multiple sources—and as reporter Mike Fleming Jr. put it, “I can’t think of an acquisition of a finished film that has gone for more money than this one.” (A representative for Disney did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for confirmation and comment.) But the investment seems logical; the theatrical run seems guaranteed to draw droves of Hamilfans, especially those who have for whatever reason not been able to see the stage production. And afterward? It’ll make great fodder for the studio’s streaming service, Disney+.
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It’s hard to overstate Hamilton’s success as a stage production. It set a Tony nominations record in 2016, with 16 nods that resulted in 11 total wins. It won Miranda a Pulitzer Prize for drama. Amid sold-out shows and astronomical ticket prices and sales, the show received praise for revitalizing and revolutionizing Broadway as a whole. Celebrities Seeing Hamilton became a miniature entertainment beat in its own right.
In a statement, Miranda told Variety,“I fell in love with musical storytelling growing up with the legendary Howard Ashman-Alan Menken Disney collaborations‚ The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin. I’m so proud of what Tommy Kail has been able to capture in this filmed version of Hamilton—a live theatrical experience that feels just as immediate in your local movie theater. We’re excited to partner with Disney to bring the original Broadway company of Hamilton to the largest audience possible.”
