The IN THE HEIGHTS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 2

[MyLife]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 11:49am

That'd be fantastic too! Maybe J-Lo for Camila?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 11:55am

Apparently, Sofia was indeed interested in playing Daniela in the film adaptation back in 2011.  

 

http://www.latina.com/entertainment/movies/sofia-vergara-joining-heights-movie

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:03pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Apparently, Sofia was indeed interested in playing Daniela in the film adaptation back in 2011.  

 

http://www.latina.com/entertainment/movies/sofia-vergara-joining-heights-movie

 

Can Sofia Vergara sing? "She's going to have to carry a tune to belt out "Carnaval del Barrio".  Andrea Burns nearly blew out the roof of the Richard Rodgers when I saw it. 

 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:47pm

Vergara played Matron Morton in CHICAGO so she can at least carry a tune. Andrea Burns is a genius whose take on "Carnaval del Barrio" cannot be replicated by most singers, but if she won't be in the movie, it's hard to think of a better alternative than Sofia Vergara. 

I'm more concerned about the casting for Nina and Vanessa. America Ferrara and Gina Rodriguez are my top choices, Rodriguez can rap but can she sing "It Won't Be Long Now"? And Mandy Gonzalez will also be tough to replace. Really the OBCR had the most powerful vocals and ideal acting, it's hard to imagine an ensemble that could match the energy they brought to the proceedings.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 3:54pm

@ray-andallthatjazz86:

It completely slipped my mind that Vergara did "Chicago". I suppose she can carry a tune - - - maybe with vocal training she can carry off "Carnaval".

America Ferrera as "Nina" sounds good on paper, but she's pushing 33. If they cast her then they would have to skew older for the rest of the cast or else the age difference would be too obvious. I also don't know if Ferrera could sing so I can't really comment on that. 

Gina Rodriguez really is an inspired choice for "Vanessa" and you do raise a valid concern in regards to her being able to carry off a song like "It Won't Be Long Now" which requires much vocal power. 

Rodriguez is pushing 33 as well, but she really reads younger - - - much younger in fact than Ferrera. 

It could work. 

 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 4:04pm

Theater_Nerd, Ferrara and Rodriguez are definitely on the older end of things. I guess this is most important with the character of Daniela who's journey is very specifically tied to that of a 18/19 year old. I know Vanessa is supposed to be around the same age as Daniela, but I don't see a reason to stick to that for the film. In fact, I like the idea of an older Vanessa, especially if it means the incomparable Gina Rodriguez can play the role. I can't think of someone who would fit Daniela in terms of age and vocals and who is also a Latina (no Vanessa Hudgens, please--don't have an issue with her but she's not a Latina).

I'm actually really excited about this film. I think IN THE HEIGHTS is one of the great underrated musicals, and I can see it working beautifully as a film. In the hands of the right director, "96'000" and "Carnaval del Barrio" could be as spectacular as the "Tonight (Quintet)" in WEST SIDE STORY or "Cell Block Tango" in the CHICAGO film. Oh, and BrodyFosse, thank you for the links re Vergara's previous involvement.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 5:09pm

Yes to everything you wrote ray-andallthatjazz86. I also feel that "In The Heights" is underrated despite it's respectable run, Tony wins and Pulitzer nomination. 

Let's be honest here, if it weren't for Miranda's huge success with "Hamilton", an "In The Heights" film would have languished on the shelf. Universal Pictures, who initially purchased the screen rights put the project in turnaround after about a year in development and then promptly let the rights lapse. 

It was only after the success of "Hamilton" that renewed interest in the show began, culminating in the Weinstein Company purchasing the screen rights and giving it the green light. 

"In The Heights" features some really exciting musical sequences. In addition to the two you mentioned I would also add "The Club/Blackout/Fireworks" - which has the potential to just explode on the screen. 

If Andy Blackenbuehler isn't tapped to choreograph the film adaptation I hope they get a top notch choreographer that can do that particular sequence justice.

Sorry for the long post... 

I have a tendency to go on and on, especially on subjects that I'm extremely passionate about. 

Updated On: 9/28/16 at 05:09 PM

[ageorges3]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 11:43pm

Excited about the idea of a ITH movie!  Never got a chance to see the show on Broadway during its original run, but I remember watching the finale sequence of the closing performance on Youtube - that entire LMM rap towards the end of the song, with the ensemble coming in through the background, gave me chills for years (really do want to see some version of the full show from top to bottom).  It seems like the trend over the recent past - Les Mis, Into the Woods - is indicating to Hollywood that musicals are marketable, they can succeed where years ago that prospect was questionable.  The Sofia Vergara idea seemed interesting - there aren't a ton of Hollywood (read: marketable) stars of the appropriate ethnicity - the idea of a ITH film with Antonio Banderas and Javier Bardem seems kinda strange (much as I love the two of them) and I'm interested to see what casting for this might look like.  Les Mis could rely on stalwarts like Jackman and Crowe to bring in the dough at the box office, and I'm interested to see how studios would theoretically meet what I call "the A-lister threshold" for making a movie musical marketable with the actors they'd need to make this one viable!

Updated On: 9/28/16 at 11:43 PM

[rcwr]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 11:45pm

To what degree do we feel like they will or should cast actors who we know already, and to what degree might there be room for new actors? 

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 10:21am

I'd love to see Belita Moreno as Abuela. Everyone always talks about Rita and Chita as the two Latina grand dames of the theatre, but Moreno, who did superb work onstage in the Eighties, has been essentially forgotten, despite doing several seasons of great tragicomic work on "George Lopez" a decade and a half ago. Rita and Chita will be remembered forever, and I'd like to see Belita nail something that'll be looked at for decades too.

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 10:22am

I'd love to see Belita Moreno as Abuela. Everyone always talks about Rita and Chita as the two Latina grand dames of the theatre, but Moreno, who did superb work onstage in the Eighties, has been essentially forgotten, despite doing several seasons of great tragicomic work on "George Lopez" a decade and a half ago. Rita and Chita will be remembered forever, and I'd like to see Belita nail something that'll be looked at for decades too.

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 10:23am

I'd love to see Belita Moreno as Abuela. Everyone always talks about Rita and Chita as the two Latina grand dames of the theatre, but Moreno, who did superb work onstage in the Eighties, has been essentially forgotten, despite doing several seasons of great tragicomic work on "George Lopez" a decade and a half ago. Rita and Chita will be remembered forever, and I'd like to see Belita nail something that'll be looked at for decades too.

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 11:01am

Thoughts...

 

Prince Royce - Usnavi 

Jake T. Austin - Sonny 

Demi Lovato - Vanessa 

Alexa Vega - Nina 

Chord Overstreet - Benny 

Sofia Vegara - Daniela 

America Fererra - Carla 

Jimmy Smits - Kevin 

Rosie Perez - Camila 

Chita Rivera - Abuela Claudia 

Bruno Mars - Piragua Guy 

Seth Stewart - Grafitti Pete 
 

[PopAria]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 11:24am

whatacharacter said: "Thoughts...

 

Prince Royce - Usnavi 

Jake T. Austin - Sonny 

Demi Lovato - Vanessa 

Alexa Vega - Nina 

Chord Overstreet - Benny 

Sofia Vegara - Daniela 

America Fererra - Carla 

Jimmy Smits - Kevin 

Rosie Perez - Camila 

Chita Rivera - Abuela Claudia 

Bruno Mars - Piragua Guy 

Seth Stewart - Grafitti Pete 
 

"

Great choices!! I'm in love with this thread!!!!  

I'd love to nominate Ricky Martin for the role of the dad.  

And Maluma for the role of Sonny. 

 

I'd also love to see cameos from Pitbull, Nicky Jam and Selena Gomez too. 

The possibilities in the night club scene are endless...

And as for Sophia playing Daniella, I'd rather have JLo as the beauty shop owner, Sophia does that crazy accent which might make her perfectly campy for this, but JLo would play it more real... I guess it depends how kitschy and campy the producers/directors want to go. 

 

 

 

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 11:30am

I would love to see Corbin Bleu as Usnavi, Naya Rivera as Nina, and Krysta Rodriguez as Vanessa! And would prefer JLo to Sofia Vergara

[Anakela]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 11:52am

Back when it was a Kenny Ortega film America Ferrera did audition for HEIGHTS:

 

What was the most nervous you ever were for an audition?
It was a singing audition. They were going to turn In the Heights, the Broadway musical, into a movie. And then the movie fell apart. I had to sing for director Kenny Ortega and for Lin-Manuel [Miranda]. I was trembling and sweating. I was thinking, “How could I hurt myself in a way that would keep me from the audition but wouldn’t put me in the hospital?”

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/29/16 at 11:56am

Chord Overstreet as Benny? 

The character of "Benny" as written is African American.

Updated On: 9/29/16 at 11:56 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 12:47am

In an interview with Deadline.com, Miranda reiterated previous reports that the Weinstein Company has the rights to In the Heights,and Jon Chu is going to direct. But, referring to co-librettist Quiara Alegria Hudes, he said, “That one is in Quiara’s court right now, Quiara is working on the screenplay as we speak. The Weinsteins’ track record is really good, and Jon Chu in particular, like, the sequences he’s made for some of those Step Up films were so extraordinary. I’m really excited to see how he stages some of these musical numbers in In The Heights. I think it’s a really inspired choice.”

 

http://www.playbill.com/article/lin-manuel-miranda-says-hamilton-and-in-the-heights-films-are-in-the-works

[hork]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 1:06am

The more I think about this, the more I don't want it to happen. I have a very specific idea in my head of what an In the Heights movie should look like, and this movie couldn't possibly match it.

[JP2]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 8:46am

So, that's your problem.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 8:52am

It also doesn't help John Chu's last film was Jem and the Holograms.

[rjm516]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 8:55am

A white Benny would be total b.s.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 10:59am

rjm516 said: "A white Benny would be total b.s.

I totally agree. whatacharacter was the one who suggested Chord Overstreet as "Benny" in his dream cast list. I was baffled. Sometimes when board members dream cast I feel as if they're just throwing names out there like wet paper to a wall to see what will stick. 

 

[hork]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 11:22am

JP2 said: "So, that's your problem.

 

Well, yes. It's why I said "I don't want this to happen," and not "Let's all burn this mutha' down!"

 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 11:36am

Alex Kulak2 said: "It also doesn't help John Chu's last film was Jem and the Holograms."

His last film was actually Now You See Me 2.