New York, NY (Top40 Charts) In a series of firsts, Warner Bros.
Pictures partnered with the hugely popular short-form video platform TikTok on the global trailer debut for "In the Heights," which fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda's music and lyrics with Jon M. Chu's singular direction. The film is slated for worldwide release beginning June 24, 2020 and in the U.S. on June 26. TikTok's premiere partnership with the studio also represented a big first for the globally utilized destination for mobile videos, presenting their hundreds-of-millions of users with the opportunity to view the trailer exclusively on the platform before the rest of the world.
The trailer launch on Thursday, December 12 at 6AM PST brought TikTok users and influencers together with "In the Heights" filmmakers and talent within the vibrant community celebrated in the movie, Washington Heights, New York. TikTok users everywhere also received a first-of-its-kind push notification, "Check out the new trailer for In The Heights!" driving global users across 30 countries to view the trailer.
Andrew Hotz, EVP of Worldwide
Digital Marketing, stated, "People around the world are going to TikTok every day to celebrate their creativity, culture and music. I couldn't think of a better platform to launch the 'In the Heights' trailer than TikTok. With our incredibly inventive and willing talent, we were able to light up TikTok and inspire its users with the sights and sounds of Washington Heights."
One day prior to the "In the Heights" TikTok trailer debut, influencers from the networking site took part in an all-day immersive experience that allowed the TikTok community to engage not only with the Washington Heights community, but also the energetic movie, its filmmakers and the multi-generational talent. The day included: breakfast in the landmark neighborhood spot, El Floridita, with decades-long resident and activist Luis Miranda, who presented an insiders' overview to the kinetic neighborhood; an interview with acclaimed director Jon M. Chu; an opportunity to create content with cast members Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins,
Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Daphne Rubin-Vega,
Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco and Jimmy Smits; opportunity to collaborate with the film's award-winning choreographer
Christopher Scott; a meet-up with Broadway legend Lin-Manuel
Miranda inside TikTok's especially-created bodega set; and an exclusive evening block party, where the trailer debut received such an overwhelmingly positive response that it was shown to the packed house twice. In addition, "In the Heights" cast members launched their own TikTok handles, with some creating videos with the select influencers.
In tandem with the global launch on December 12, the film's cast took over TikTok's Instagram handle to celebrate the debut and introduce themselves to TikTok at-large.
The creator of "
Hamilton" and the director of "Crazy Rich Asians" invite you to the event of the summer, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big... "In the Heights."
Lights up on Washington Heights...The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
"In the Heights" fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda's kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu's lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.
"In the Heights" stars Anthony Ramos ("A Star is Born," Broadway's "
Hamilton"), Corey Hawkins ("Straight Outta Compton," "BlacKkKlansman"), singer/songwriter
Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (TV's "Vida"), Olga Merediz (Broadway's "In the Heights"), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Broadway's "Rent"), Gregory Diaz IV (Broadway's "Matilda the Musical"),
Stephanie Beatriz (TV's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"), Dascha Polanco (TV's "Orange is the New Black") and Jimmy Smits (the "
Star Wars" films).
Chu is directing the film from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes; it is based on the musical stage play, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and concept by Miranda. "In the Heights" is produced by
Miranda and Hudes, together with Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman and Mara Jacobs.
David Nicksay and
Kevin McCormick served as executive producers.
Behind the camera, Chu is reuniting with his "Crazy Rich Asians" production designer,
Nelson Coates, and editor,
Myron Kerstein. He is also collaborating with director of photography Alice Brooks and costume designer Mitchell Travers. The choreography is by
Christopher Scott, who previously teamed with Chu on the award-winning "The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers."
"In the Heights" was filmed in New York, primarily on location in the dynamic community of Washington Heights. Slated for release on June 26, 2020, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
