Sunday, August 6th, 2023, marks the ninth anniversary of the date that Hamilton premiered on Broadway. The Tony Award-winning production was re-imagined by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who casts himself along with an array of actors/actresses from multiple ethnic backgrounds, such as Renée Elise Goldsberry, Leslie Odom Jr., and Phillipa Soo in the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's founding fathers. While many have debated whether Hamilton was truly the first hip-hop musical on Broadway, the trailblazing legacy left behind is unquestionable. Lin-Manuel would go on to create the soundtrack for Disney's first feature film starring a protagonist of Pacific Islander descent, Moana. About five years later, he penned another well-received Disney film with an enchanting premise that took place in the country of Colombia called Encanto. It was also around that time that Lin-Manuel executive produced a film adaptation of his Broadway musical, In The Heights. Released on HBO Max in 2021, the movie achieved critical acclaim as components of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican culture were encompassed within the compelling love story. However, some within the Latinx community disapproved of the project, citing the casting choices and a lack of representation in a fictional storyline that is based on a neighborhood known for having a thriving Dominican American population. Now, it appears that Lin-Manuel is set to make yet another adaptation out of a classic imaginary New York City tale. This time he's taking on The Warriors.
Originally released in 1979, during the developmental years of hip-hop in New York City, The Warriors was a gang film, an action-packed thriller, a crime-drama, and an exploration movie all rolled into one. It was also bloody, dark, violent, and incredibly raw--something that film fans haven't seen in previous work from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Surprisingly, The Warriors performed underwhelmingly at the box office, and it was slammed by critics during the time of its release. But in the following decades, more appreciation grew for the thought-provoking script, edgy costumes, original music, and creative videography. Today, it is viewed by many as one of the best cult films ever made.
It will be interesting to see if the award-winning producer who created Disney songs such as "You're Welcome" and "We Don't Talk About Bruno" will stay true to what endeared The Warriors to film fans or if he will successfully re-imagine the production similarly to his work with Hamilton. According to reports, Lin-Manuel has already entered the pre-production phase for The Warriors musical.
Source: Variety
