Top 10 Reasons the In The Heights Trailer Has Us Excited

From a sophomore’s bedroom to the Broadway stage and now the silver screen, “In The Heights” has been on quite the journey, but the plot has kept the same heart. The story takes place over three days in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, and celebrates the community that made it what it is today. The movie has been updated to take place in present-day America and follows the struggles of dreamers in the Trump era. We cannot wait to join the residents of Washington Heights as they show us what it really means to come together in turbulent times.

Did you notice the moment in the trailer where everything is suddenly flipped on its side? We can’t be sure what scene this is, but Nina and Benny are somehow defying gravity, with realism momentarily abandoned. According to the director, Jon M. Chu, when speaking to Empire, “They're allowed to change the environment they're in, to draw on the screen, to do anything that best communicates how it feels to have a dream.” This scene has a street dance vibe which means absolutely anything can happen. With such a stylistic - and cinematic - approach, this is shaping up to be a REALLY exciting stage adaptation!

It was an exciting summer for the residents of Washington Heights when the cast and crew turned up to shoot the movie on location. The residents were able to get small glimpses behind-the-scenes as filming took place around the neighborhood, showcasing spots like the George Washington Bridge Bus Station and the United Palace Theater. Lin-Manuel Miranda said that filming on location was a dream come true - and even apologized for any traffic they may have caused. Washington Heights is the real star of the show, so we’re excited to get that authentic experience.

Based on what we can see in the trailer, we are in for so many vibrant and exciting showstopping moments -- even one in a pool, it seems. The production team, led by designer Nelson Coates, asked the writers, Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, to take them to the most beautiful parts of the area and the ones that meant the most to them growing up. The next stage was to bring the place to life and make audiences feel like they’re in the barrio. Every moment celebrates the heritage and culture of the residents - and both their vibrancy and that of the locations they inhabit - and we couldn’t be more excited.

The Broadway show’s choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler won a Tony Award for his choreography, so we can only imagine how stressed Christopher Scott must have been to bring the dance aspect to life in the movie version. Scott, whose credits include, “Step Up Revolution,” “Step Up All In,” and both “Teen Beach Movie” films, clearly has a flair of his own so we know we can expect something phenomenal. The music calls for hip-hop, street dance and the Latin rhythms of Salsa, Merengue, and Samba. We only get small teasers of the dance numbers but it’s enough to leave us wanting more.

This is the creative dream team. OG writing duo Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes have returned to produce (with Hudes pennin the screenplay). That, paired with director Jon M. Chu and production designer Nelson Coates, both of whom worked on the immensely popular “Crazy Rich Asians,” put any worries we had about this adaptation to rest. This is a group that knows what they’re doing when handling a culturally specific story, and who are able to find the universally relatable message within. We have seen their dedication to celebrating culture and diversity and really building bridges between communities. Whether it’s through music, words or dance, this creative team will deliver an unforgettable movie-going experience.

Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t only write the music and lyrics for “In the Heights” the musical, but he also played the central role of Usnavi in the original Broadway cast. Miranda has emphatically said he wouldn’t reprise the role in the movie, though we knew we could still expect to see him make an appearance - come on, he has to! It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in the trailer, but we get a very brief glimpse of Miranda in his new role as Piragüero, a shaved ice vendor, battling Mister Softee for customers. At least this means that we’ll still get to hear him sing.

Again making authenticity a priority, an open casting call was held, so the movie is full of actual Washington Heights residents. You might have also spotted some recognizable faces, like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”’s Stephanie Beatriz and Dascha Polanco from “Orange Is the New Black.” Since Anthony Ramos played Usnavi in the Kennedy Center production of “In the Heights,” and worked alongside Miranda in “Hamilton,” we know he’s up to the task of leading man. Other than Miranda, Olga Merediz, playing Abuela Claudia, is the only other original Broadway cast member to return. In the main roles, stage and screen’s Corey Hawkins will be Benny, singer Leslie Grace will be Nina, and vocalist and telenovela actress Melissa Barrera will be Vanessa. This talented cast really celebrates what this movie is all about.

If you’re familiar with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work - or have ever heard him speak or Tweet - then you’d know that diversity is something he holds close to his heart. Jon M. Chu shared a heartwarming anecdote from filming that really highlights the importance of diversity in the show and consequently, the movie. We only get a very brief glimpse in the trailer, but there’s a moment where the residents dance with Mexican, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rican flags, representing where they come from. The actors got so caught up in this celebration of cultural diversity that they kept partying long after Chu called cut.

There’s a big reason we love this musical so much - and it’s because it’s just that, a musical, and we can’t wait to hear this Tony Award-winning original score hit the silver screen. Miranda said there may be a few tweaks, but ultimately the movie will feature the soundtrack we all fell in love with in the first place. He really takes us on a journey through the music, and tells the most incredible story with a variety of genres, from rap to salsa to traditional musical theatre. Every lyric and beat comes from the heart so you can’t help but be moved and that’s what makes this movie just so special.