A movie adaptation of Hamilton has long been discussed, but creator and original star Lin-Manuel Miranda was adamant that it didn't happen until the popular musical had its proper run on Broadway. Well, it looks like the time is now upon us, as Disney has officially announced that Hamilton is indeed coming to the big screen. But it won't be a straight-up adaptation as believed.

Disney is bringing a filmed version of the original Broadway play to movie theaters across the country next fall. It's interesting that this announcement comes after another long-running Broadway musical just flopped at the box office. Cats was a disaster, arriving in theaters this past December. It was an adaptation that utilized CGI to bring its cast of cat characters to life, and it has been heavily ridiculed ever since, with some going as far as to call it a nightmare. Hamilton will not be falling into the same trap.

The Walt Disney Company, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller, and Thomas Kail are pleased to announce an agreement for the worldwide distribution rights that will bring the 11-time-Tony Award, Grammy Award®-, Olivier Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning stage musical to cinema screens. The film will be released by The Walt Disney Studios in the United States and Canada on Oct. 15, 2021.

Producers for Hamilton, the film of the original Broadway production, include Miranda, Seller, and Kail, who also directs. The film of the original Broadway cast performing Hamilton is a leap forward in the art of "live capture." This movie transports its audience into the world of the Broadway show in a uniquely intimate way. Combining the best elements of live theater and film, the result is a cinematic stage performance that is a wholly new way to experience Hamilton. 

The original Broadway cast appearing in the film include Tony Award winners Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton; Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson; Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler; Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr; Tony Award® nominees Christopher Jackson as George Washington; Jonathan Groff as King George; Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton; and Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds; Okieriete Onaodowan as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison; and Anthony Ramos as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton.

The cast also includes Carleigh Bettiol, Ariana DeBose, Hope Easterbrook, Sydney James Harcourt, Sasha Hutchings, Thayne Jasperson, Elizabeth Judd, Jon Rua, Austin Smith, Seth Stewart, and Ephraim Sykes.

Said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.

"Lin-Manuel Miranda created an unforgettable theater experience and a true cultural phenomenon, and it was for good reason that Hamilton was hailed as an astonishing work of art. All who saw it with the original cast will never forget that singular experience. And we're thrilled to have the opportunity to share this same Broadway experience with millions of people around the world."

Said Lin-Manuel Miranda.

"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."

Said Thomas Kail.

"We are thrilled for fans of the show, and new audiences across the world, to experience what it was like on stage - and in the audience - when we shot this at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June of 2016. We wanted to give everyone the same seat, which is what this film can provide,"

You can follow along for any additional news regarding Hamilton on the big screen over at the official Hamilton Facebook.