Lin-Manuel Miranda to Direct Film Adaptation of ‘Octet’ Musical

The a cappella musical, written by Dave Malloy, follows a support group for internet addicts.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has set his next directorial project. 

The Hamilton creator will direct a feature film adaptation of Dave Malloy’s musical Octet, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2019. The a capella musical explores the topic of internet addiction as told through an eight-person support group meeting in a church basement. 

“I haven’t stopped thinking about Octet since I saw Annie Tippe’s premiere production in November of 2019. Dave Malloy’s score is versatile, brilliant and grows more relevant with each passing year. It won’t leave me alone so here we are,” Miranda said. 

This marks the second feature film Miranda will direct, after adapting Jonathan Larson’s musical tick, tick…BOOM!, starring Andrew Garfield, in 2021. 

Julie Oh, who is joining Miranda’s production company, 5000 Broadway Productions, as the head of film and TV, is producing the film, alongside John Skidmore for Best Kept Secret Productions and Luis A. Miranda, Jr.. Oh also produced and oversaw the acquisition of tick, tick…BOOM! by Netflix.

Malloy, who also wrote the Tony-nominated musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, is adapting the book of the musical for the film and also serving as executive producer. Casting for the film adaptation of Octet has not yet been announced.

“I am over the moon that Lin-Manuel is turning Octet into a movie! I was utterly gobsmacked by his work on tick, tick…Boom!, and feel so honored to have such a beacon of the musical theater world bring this piece into a new life. As a brilliant storyteller, fellow internet junkie, and dear friend, I know he’s going to make something amazing. And our cast is completely ridiculous,” Malloy said.

Johnny Holland, Owen Panettieri of 5000 Broadway Productions and Diana DiMenna are executive producing. The film is being financed and executive produced by several Broadway producers and entities including Sander Jacobs, Caren Jacobs, TodayTix Group, Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller, Teresa Tsai and John Gore for Broadway.com.  

Via: The Hollywood Reporter