More than five years after its Broadway debut, Hamilton is moving from the stage to the screen, and fans can tune in to watch it at home on Friday, July 3. The acclaimed musical was recorded with the intention of getting a theatrical release, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it will instead be released straight onto the streaming platform Disney+. Here’s what you need to know to stream “Hamilfilm” as soon as possible.
Hamilton will be available on Disney+ on Friday, July 3 starting at 12 a.m. PT — that’s 3 a.m. ET. For active Disney+ subscribers, there is little preparation to do, but for newcomers to the service, you may be disappointed to find that there is no free trial available. According to a report by CNET, Disney+ ended its usual 7-day free trial for new subscribers in late June. A Disney spokeswoman said of the change: “The service was set at an attractive price-to-value proposition that we believe delivers a compelling entertainment offering on its own.”
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Still, for those that are dying to see Hamilton, a month’s subscription to Disney+ is still less than a movie ticket at just $6.99, and customers can cancel any time. There is also an option to pay for the whole year upfront for $69.99, saving just over a dollar per month in the process. Finally, the last option is to subscribe to the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle, which costs $12.99 per month.
No matter how you get it, Hamilton is sure to be a massive sensation — especially with the socially-distant crowds so starved for new content. Hamilton has won numerous awards, launched huge careers and led to performances all over the world. It was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and inspired by a 2004 biography of its main character by Ron Chernow, titled simply: Alexander Hamilton.
Miranda helped announce the screen version of his creation back in May — affectionately referring to it as “Hamilfilm.” This version is made up of footage from three separate performances of Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City in June of 2016. It includes the original Broadway cast, with Miranda in the starring role.
The movie was intended to be a box office hit for Disney, with an original theatrical release date of Oct. 15, 2021. The company decided to release it for home video audiences during the coronavirus pandemic, timing it to land on Independence Day weekend. For a show set during the American Revolutionary War, the timing could not be better.
Hamilton premieres on Friday, July 3 at 3 a.m. ET on Disney+.
