IN THE HEIGHTS to be a Universal Big Screen Musical

Universal Pictures announced today that it has acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on In The Heights, a multi-generational and multi-ethnic musical by Tony Award winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes. 

In The Heights has exhilarated audiences both on and off Broadway since February 2007 and won four Tony Awards this year including Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Orchestration and a Best Original Score Award and Best Actor nomination for Miranda. 

In The Heights' original Broadway producers, Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman, will executive produce and Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the Tony nominated book for the show, will be writing the screen adaptation for the film.

Variety is reporting that Miranda is "expected to reprise his role in the film", but there is no information regarding casting at this time.

Set over three days in the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, In The Heights is an exhilarating musical journey into one of New York's most vibrant communities, where the lives of three generations come together in an unforgettable story of hope and self-discovery.

"In The Heights is a musical rich with storyline and characters that transcend the setting in which they are cast to entertain and speak to audiences from all walks of life," said Donna Langley, President of Production for Universal Pictures.  "We are thrilled to be working with Lin-Manuel Miranda to bring this fantastic story to the big screen."

Twenty-eight year-old Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics and currently stars in the show, first conceived In The Heights while in his sophomore year at Wesleyan University. In The Heights is the story of a vibrant and tight-knit community of New York's famed Washington Heights neighborhood.  The music pulses with the hopes and dreams of three generations as they struggle to forge an identity in a neighborhood on the brink of transition.

"Nearly nine years into my journey with Heights, I remain constantly humbled by all the opportunities we have been given.  I am thrilled to work with Universal and help bring this story to millions of people around the world," said Miranda.

The deal was brokered by way of John Buzzetti of The Gersh Agency and Nancy Rose and Ira Schreck of Schreck, Rose, Dapello, Adams & Hurwitz.  Former President of Production at Miramax Meryl Poster, will produce In the Heights in her first project with Universal where she has a first-look deal with Universal Media Studios.  Miranda will also serve as a producer of the film.

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com).  Universal Studios is part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.  Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks.  NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

In The Heights began previews on Broadway Thursday, February 14, 2008, after a six-month, award-winning 2007 Off-Broadway run.  The musical opened on Broadway to critical acclaim Sunday, March 9, 2008, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and remains one of the most popular shows on Broadway today.

"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.

Universal has watched "Mamma Mia!" become the highest-grossing musical in history with $558.8 million worldwide, is looking to bring another musical hit to the stage. The studio and producer Marc Platt are also in the nascent stages of turning the Broadway hit "Wicked" into a feature.