Variety reports that Universal Pictures will be making the musical In the Heights with Marc Klein writing the adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play.

Originally the show's book writer, Quiara Alegria Hudes, was writing the script but Klein has been installed to give the priority project a rewrite. Universal is hoping that production will get underway in August. This would stay consistent with the play, which is set during the summer.

Kenny Ortega is directing In the Heights.

The story takes place over "three days in Gotham's Washington Heights neighborhood, where a bodega owner who inherited his grandmother's lottery windfall plots his retirement to a Dominican Republic beach. As he bids farewell to his customers on the block, he becomes conflicted about leaving behind a group that has become family."

Klein is also working closely with the musical's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. He will star in the film. The plan is for the film to feature most of the stage musical's numbers as well as one new song written specifically for the big-screen.