Lin-Manuel Miranda wants to take In the Heights adaptation to new studio

Writer/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda wants to find a new production studio to take charge of the film adaptation of his hit musical In The Heights following Harvey Weinstein’s sex scandal.
The movie version of the Broadway show is currently in development at The Weinstein Company, but Miranda’s playwright pal Quiara Alegria Hudes has made it clear she is no longer comfortable working with the firm in light of the 30 women who have accused the Hollywood mogul of inappropriate sexual behaviour over the past three decades following an expose in The New York Times last week (ends06Oct17).
“In the Heights is part of my heart and soul. I created it with respect, community and solidarity,” Hudes wrote on Twitter. “I hope The Weinstein Co. has enough grace, in the wake of these revelations, to respect my stand as a woman, and to allow us to extricate In the Heights from them. In the Heights deserves a fresh start in a studio where I’ll feel safe (as will my actors and collaborators).”
Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics and starred in the show’s original Broadway run, backed the idea with his own message on social media, posting, “As usual, Quiara does the prose best. She speaks for us both.”
Jon M. Chu had been tapped to direct the film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical, which follows a group of Latinos living in the Washington Heights neighbourhood of New York City.
The project had been due to feature rapper JAY-Z as one of six producers on the film, after signing a two-year first-look deal with The Weinstein Company officials last year (16).
JAY-Z has yet to comment on Hudes and Miranda’s pleas, but he is reportedly interested in buying out Harvey’s shares in the production firm the disgraced businessman co-founded, after he was fired from the company last weekend (08Oct17).