Lin-Manuel Miranda will direct an upcoming movie adaptation of “Tick, Tick…Boom!” with a screenplay by “Dear Evan Hansen” book writer Steven Levenson.
The film will be produced by Imagine Entertainment Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. This will be the film directorial debut for Miranda, who played the lead role of Jon in a 2014 City Center production.
Jonathan Larson first performed the piece as a solo show in 1990. It was later revised by playwright David Auburn and premiered off-Broadway in 2001.
“Tick, Tick…Boom! first entered my life in college when I was lucky enough to snag a seat at the Jane Street Theater in 2001,” Miranda said in a press release. “Jonathan Larson’s captivating storytelling in Rent first taught me that musicals could be contemporary, true to life, and depict your own experiences. But it was Tick, Tick…Boom! that solidified that drive in me to hone my own voice as a playwright.”
The story centers on Jon, an aspiring theater composer, who waits tables while writing a new musical that he hopes will jumpstart his career. His dream is called into question by his approaching 30th birthday and pressure from his friend and girlfriend.
Julie Larson, sister to Larson, is serving as executive producer on the project.
“Our family is honored that Lin-Manuel Miranda will launch his directorial career interpreting Jonathan’s most personal work. Lin-Manuel and Steven both have a deep understanding of the piece, and we are so excited to see their vision realized,” the Larson family said in a press release.
