Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton Musical Is Coming to Disney+ More Than a Year Early

Back in February 2020, Disney dropped an exciting bombshell on Broadway lovers, history buffs, and just about everyone else: A stage performance of Hamilton had been filmed live during the original cast run, and it was on its way to theaters (and later, Disney+). Since it wouldn’t actually get to theaters until October 15, 2021, however, we’d have to embrace our inner Aaron Burr and wait for it.

Today, Disney announced that the long wait is actually almost over. Hamilton on Broadway, featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, and the rest of that now-legendary first cast, will be available to stream on Disney+ beginning July 3, 2020.

The Verge reports that the film uses footage from three live performances shot in 2016, which Disney reportedly purchased for a staggering $75 million. For far-flung fans who couldn’t make it to a major city like New York or Chicago to see the show in person—or those who couldn’t manage to snag one of those very pricey and often impossible-to-find tickets—it’s a chance to see the original Broadway cast recording come to life for just $7 (or the cost of a month’s subscription to Disney+).

But even for people who were lucky enough to watch Alexander Hamilton’s story unfold in all its musical theater glory already, not many have seen Miranda in the titular role; he left the show in July 2016, only about a month after his musical took home 11 Tony Awards.

The upcoming opportunity to watch Hamilton at home is a much-needed morale boost for a nation in quarantine, and it’s also a great publicity boost for Disney+. With many productions on hold in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, this highly anticipated streaming gem has the potential to keep people subscribed to Disney+ through the summer (and, of course, win over some new customers, too).

While you’re waiting for July 3, brush up on the history behind 22 Hamilton lyrics here.

[h/t The Verge]