Lin-Manuel Miranda hints In The Heights could be delayed due to COVID-19

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The spring movie season has essentially been a bust since every major tentpole release has been delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. What's unclear is what studios are choosing to do for summer movie releases and if it's likely that we'll have a summer movie season at all. The highly anticipated movie musical adaptation IN THE HEIGHTS, directed by Jon M. Chu, is one of those releases in question and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda seems to hint that the release date could be in a flexible position to change.

Over the weekend, Rosie O'Donnell briefly revived her popular talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, for one episode in hopes to raise money for those in theater who were impacted by the shutdown of Broadway. O'Donnell interviewed Miranda during her live stream and the lyricist, director, writer, and performer who originally brought IN THE HEIGHTS to broadway, opened up about where the movie version is at this current stage. Set for release on June 26, 2020, Miranda shared that the film is currently in post-production:

"We were literally recording the score when all of this started happening. There's a lot that remains to be done on that movie. We were finishing the score and the mixing and just getting the music exactly right. I'm really hopeful that that's something we all get to watch in the theaters together, when it's time, and no sooner, to go out."

Miranda's statement seems to hint at that if they have to, they will delay the release if the coronavirus concerns haven't subsided by the time IN THE HEIGHTS is gearing up for its release. The disheartening thing about that is there seems to be a belief that all of this could ask well into the summer and that's when you have to start looking at other June and July releases that may be impacted. I don't want to go as far as to say that the summer movie season is canceled but we definitely need some positive news to indicate that we're coming out ahead of this thing and that it's time to gradually get back to normal. You can check out Miranda's interview during the charity event below at around the 19:43 mark.

As of now, IN THE HEIGHTS, which stars Stephanie Beatriz, Corey Hawkins, Jimmy Smits, Dascha Polanco & Anthony Ramos, hits screens on June 26, 2020, and it's a date I hope it gets to keep. Do YOU think IN THE HEIGHTS will keep its date?