Before the rampant success of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda starred in the off-Broadway musical Tick, Tick…Boom! as an aspiring composer waiting for his big break. Now, Miranda will make his directorial debut in the big-screen adaptation of Tick, Tick…Boom!, based on Rent creator Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical of the same name. Not only will the film have Miranda at the helm and a Broadway legend at its center, it’s also getting a screenplay from Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen writer Steven Levenson.
Set in 1990, Tick, Tick…Boom! follows a young Larson as he waits tables and dreams of writing the next great American musical. In reality, Larson never lived to see his big break, which came with Rent, since he died in 1996 of an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm. His sister, Julie, will serve as executive producer of Tick, Tick…Boom! “We hope that Jonathan’s story will resonate with a whole new generation of artists,” Larson’s family said in a statement given to Deadline.
Other producers include Miranda, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Julie Oh. “On stage, playing the role of Jon in 2014 was one of my most honored achievements,” Miranda told Deadline. “To now have the opportunity to make my film directorial debut, in collaboration with the Larson family and this incredible creative team, and to adapt a work I love so deeply, is a humbling privilege.”
