Hamilton Movie to Skip Theaters and Hit Disney+ This Summer

If you were already flailing nonstop about the fact that a filmed version of Broadway's Hamilton was scheduled to premiere on the big screen next fall, we have even better news now. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney+ have announced that the Hamilton film will not only bypass a theatrical run and head straight to streaming, but the release date has been moved up by a year and a half. The movie will now debut on Disney+ on July 3, 2020.

The Hamilton movie was first announced back in February. The pic is directed by Thomas Kail, who directed the Broadway production, and was filmed onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 2016 with the Tony-winning show's original Broadway cast. The release date was originally scheduled for Oct. 15, 2021, but on Tuesday morning, Miranda and Disney+ announced that the movie will instead become available to stream on Friday, July 3. Now that's a great way to celebrate Independence Day.

In a statement, Miranda said of the movie, "I'm so proud of how beautifully Tommy Kail has brought Hamilton to the screen. He's given everyone who watches this film the best seat in the house. I'm so grateful to Disney and Disney+ for reimagining and moving up our release to July 4th weekend of this year, in light of the world turning upside down. I'm so grateful to all the fans who asked for this, and I'm so glad that we're able to make it happen. I'm so proud of this show. I can't wait for you to see it."

John Krasinski, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Original Hamilton Cast Surprise Superfan

Hamilton, which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics, and book for, has been showered with accolades, including 11 Tony Awards, a Grammy, and a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The musical retells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and is based in part on the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

The original cast, who will appear in the movie, includes 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. Carleigh Bettiol, Ariana DeBose, Hope Easterbrook, Sydney James Harcourt, Sasha Hutchings, Thayne Jasperson, Elizabeth Judd, Jon Rua, Austin Smith, Seth Stewart, and Ephraim Sykes also star.

Throughout its groundbreaking run at the Richard Rodgers Theater, which began in 2015, Hamilton has been famously difficult to get tickets to see. Now, for those who never did get to see the show live on Broadway, Miranda and his friends are bringing it to the comforts of your own home very, very soon.

Hamilton will hit Disney+ on Friday, July 3.