The musical Hamilton is now available to stream on Disney+. If you’re reading this–and not watching Hamilton already–it’s unlikely you’ll need further context on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s historical hip-hop tribute to American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the show’s music and presentation has been described as “the story of American then, told by America now.”
The show premiered Off-Broadway in 2015–it hit Broadway later in the year–and has since quickly become a cultural touchstone and juggernaut in its own right. The show’s popularity and influence has only grown since its debut–so much so that this Disney+ film has been fast-tracked by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic to shift from an October 15, 2021 theater event to a July 3, 2020 home-streaming event.
In this filmed version–culled from a three-day 2016 shoot–Miranda stars as Hamilton. Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, and Daveed Diggs also round out the cast. Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter, The Good Wife) sings the show-stopper “You’ll Be Back” as King George III.
If today is your first opportunity to see the show but you can’t yet drop everything to watch it, our list of eight things to look for can help you pass time and extend your appreciation of the show. Because Disney has recently shut down its free trial program for Disney+ this guide from our sister site CNET would also be worth reading if you haven’t already figured out plans to watch Hamilton before today.