12.13.2019 | By Jack Rico |
After close to a decade trying to get a film adaptation of ‘In The Heights’ greenlit by a major studio, Lin-Manuel Miranda will soon be able to pay for a ticket at any movie theater in America and watch what was once a germ of an idea now become a potential Oscar contender for Best Picture in 2021. Read More
07.11.2016 | By Jack Rico |
This was a crazy morning. I had gotten an email last week from the editor-in-chief of NBCLatino, Sandra Lilley, asking if I’d be interested in interviewing Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
I said yes, of course! This was the biggest interview “get” in the business, Spanish or English, and there were only a small number of outlets approved. We discussed their “Love Make The World Go Round” music video in tribute to the Orlando shooting.
Here’s a video excerpt of a bigger interview I did with them today… Lopez was clearly overwhelmed with the emotion of the subject matter. This one hit home for both.
05.3.2016 | By Jack Rico |
The nominations for the 70th annual Tony Awards announcement were a historic moment for Broadway and for diversity this morning – Puerto Rican icon Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton scored a record-setting 16 nominations. On the play side, Long Day’s Journey Into Night had 7 nominations, most by a play this year. Latinos made their presence felt this year by having Costa Rican Danny Burstein nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for Fiddler On The Roof, Colombian choreographer Sergio Trujillo for On Your Feet! and Puerto Rican Lin-Manuel Miranda for ‘Hamilton’ for Best Actor in a Musical as well. Years ago, one Latino nominated for a Tony was historic, now 3 of them are. Times are a changin’. Read More
02.19.2014 | By Mariana Dussan |
Looking for an excuse to break out that gown that cost you an arm and a leg, or that tux that has been sitting in your closer since your prom days? Well honey, you’re going to the theater! Read More
03.29.2011 | By Jack Rico |
Ever since the Broadway show ‘In the Heights’ won Best Musical at the 2007 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall – historic moment which I happened to be in the auditorium for – there has been talk of a movie version being developed by Universal Studios for a couple of years now.
First, word came out that ‘In the Heights’ creator, composer, lyricist and star, Lin Manuel Miranda was starring and helping adapt his creation into a film script with the show’s book writer, Quiara Alegria Hudes, writing the script and ‘High School Musical’ helmer Kenny Ortega attached to direct. When I saw Ortega and Wilmer Valderrama chatting at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, I knew this was more than rumor. He was already recruiting and meeting potential cast members. Unfortunately, somewhere along the road, things didn’t go as planned and Lin Manuel, announced via a statement on Deadline.com, that ‘In the Heights: The Movie’ was dead.
According to sources, one of the major reasons for the movie not being greenlit was that Shakira, the ultimate crossover star, couldn’t reach a deal with Universal. She was in talks for the role of Vanessa. It would have been her first motion picture role.
Among the cast members wanting to be part of the star studded cast were Jennifer Lopez for the role of Daniela. That didn’t work out either most likely because of her new found fame with American Idol. Other considerations for her role were Real Housewives star Eva Longoria, Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara and Broadway and TV star from Grey’s Anatomy, Sara Ramirez.
In addition, the cast would have included Rita Moreno, Ruben Blades, and fresh faces like Carlos Peña Jr. from Nickelodeon’s ‘Big Time Rush’, plus Wilmer Valderrama and Gloria Estefan in cameo roles. Speaking of Estefan, iconic record producer Emilio Estefan was having initial conversations to executive produce the film’s soundtrack, a mix of Latin and Hip-Hop songs.
It’s all a shame since dancers were already auditioning, and shooting was slated to begin in August in Washington Heights, New York City with a budget of $37 million dollars. Also, Universal Studios is one of the few studios in Hollywood that has made a commitment to making films with Latino talent, including distributing ‘Savages,’ a cartel movie that will star Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek, recently announced.
There was no doubt that ‘In the Heights: The Movie’ was going to be one of the most star studded US Hispanic movies in the history of Hollywood, but Lin Manuel Miranda is not giving up on the dream of one day making it happen. He said in a statement, “I have had nothing but a positive experience with Universal Pictures. We weren’t able to make the film version of In The Heights together, but I’m looking forward to working with them in the near future. Moving forward, I’m excited to explore other options to make the In The Heights movie a reality.”
The question now is, what studio will the movie land? My guess is Sony Pictures Classic/Columbia Pictures since they are also very committed to musicals (Burlesque) and Latino talent (Battle: Los Angeles).
Leave your thoughts and comments below.
11.8.2008 | By Mack Chico |
Flush from the global returns of “Mamma Mia!,” Universal Pictures is tuning up another stage musical transformation. The studio has acquired rights to turn the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “In the Heights” into a feature.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who created the musical, wrote the lyrics and music and has played the starring role through its Off Broadway and Broadway runs, is expected to reprise his role in the film. Miranda will produce with Meryl Poster.
Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for the show, will pen the screen adaptation.
The tuner takes place over three days in the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, where a bodega owner (played by Manuel) inherits his late grandmother’s lottery winnings and plans to shutter his store and retire on a beach in the Dominican Republic. Trying to say farewell to the characters who live on the block, he realizes that his neighbors are his real family, and he’s torn about leaving.
Original Broadway producers Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman will be executive producers of the film.
“In the Heights” launched Off Broadway in early 2007 and moved to Broadway, where it won four Tonys, including musical.
“It is a timeless Everyman story that has a universal appeal,” said Poster who, as an executive at Miramax Films, supervised and exec produced “Chicago.” “In the Heights” is the first feature she has set up under her first-look deal for TV and movie projects with NBC Universal.
U, which has watched “Mamma Mia!” become the highest-grossing musical in history with $558.8 million worldwide, now has another tuner on the boards. The studio and producer Marc Platt are also in the nascent stages of turning the Broadway hit “Wicked” into a feature.
