It’s no secret that the movie industry has seen some serious setbacks for over a year now, and it’s likely you don’t have to look farther than your closest theater to see that. With a lot of big films skipping theaters all together, it may seem like the experience of watching a film has shifted to solely a "stay-at-home movie night." Though some films that audiences need to experience on the big screen, and Anthony Ramos apparently feels that way about the upcoming film adaptation of the broadway musical In The Heights. Now, he has a message for those who may be leaning to stay in when watching the movie.
Anthony Ramos plays one of the leading roles in the film adaptation of In The Heights, and says he really hopes people will take the leap and watch it in theaters. During an interview on The Elvis Duran Show, Ramos spoke highly of the experience the film will give moviegoers. Here it is in the actors own words:
I was on the phone with our director, John Chu, and he called me and said, ‘Yo look, I want to let you know before the press release comes out. We were bummed because that movie is made for the theaters. That’s a movie you want to watch on the big screen, and you want to hear the music blasting. I was looking forward to going to a theater, sitting in the back and watching people hopefully stand up at the moments where I stood.
While we absolutely will be able to watch In The Heights in theaters, the musical film will not be releasing only to theaters. Like all Warner Bros. films this year, In The Heights will be released to HBO Max on the same day it hits theaters. That means that anyone who is waiting for the film may opt out of a theatrical experience. In the same interview, Anthony Ramos pleaded with fans to see the film in theaters, making the film’s release pushback worth it. In the musical star’s own words:
So I was bummed that we got pushed, but I knew that movie was going to come out eventually. And now, AT&T is doing this thing with HBO Max… At first I was like, ‘Dang, are people going to even go to the theater?’ But I have faith people will, I really do. They’ll go, and they’ll be safe, and I encourage people to see it in the theater and then watch it on HBO Max. I repeat, do not make your first experience watching In The Heights on your television.
You really can’t blame Anthony Ramos for being disappointed with a smaller theatrical presence for the musical - after all, musicals are meant to have a more grand experience intended for stages and big screens. Of course, Ramos also had a role in the filmed version of Hamilton, which did not have a theatrical presence at all and was released straight to Disney+, much to the stars’ inconvenience. It’s surely his hope that he doesn’t miss out, yet again, on a big theatrical opening for a musical film.
In The Heights is set to release on June 11th in both theaters and HBO Max. However, if you heed the words of star Anthony Ramos, you’ll be wanting to see the epic musical numbers and choreography on the big screen this summer!
