Lin-Manuel Miranda has zeroed in on his next project, and he’ll be stepping behind the camera for his second directorial effort. The “Hamilton” creator will direct an adaptation of the stage musical “Octet,” Dave Malloy’s musical about digital dependency that debuted in 2019, Miranda’s 5000 Broadway Productions announced on Thursday.
Malloy will write the screenplay, adapting his own book of a musical for the big screen. He’ll also serve as executive producer on the film.
“Octet” begins with eight internet-obsessed people who meet in a church basement and lock their phones in a box. The story then follows the octect as they chart their compulsions “using only the analog vibrancy of their own voices,” per the official synopsis.
The film marks Miranda’s second directorial feature after he directed the 2021 adaptation of the Jonathan Larson musical “Tick, Tick… BOOM!” starring Andrew Garfield.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about ‘Octet’ since I saw Annie Tippe’s premiere production in November of 2019,” Miranda said in a statement. “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.”
Malloy added: “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.”
“Octect” isn’t yet set up at a distributor and is being financed and executive produced by Sander Jacobs, Caren Jacobs, TodayTix Group, Jeffrey Seller, Teresa Tsai and John Gore for Broadway.com.
Julie Oh, along with John Skidmore for Best Kept Secret Productions, and Luis A. Miranda, Jr. (President, 5000 Broadway Productions) will serve as producers on the film, with Oh joining 5000 Broadway Productions as Head of Film & TV.
“Julie Oh is a masterful producer and creative with a clear vision,” Miranda added of her appointment. “Her contributions to ‘tick, tick…BOOM!’ were essential to its very existence, and I’m looking forward to continuing our collaboration on ‘Octet’ and with future projects at 5000 Broadway Productions.”
Oh added: “Working together with Lin-Manuel Miranda is both creatively exciting and completely delightful. The art of making art is putting it together bit by bit and every bit of work that we have done together thus far has been a dream come true. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead film and TV for 5000 Broadway Productions and work with Luis Miranda and the team to build a cinematic home where singular projects like ‘Octet’ can thrive.”
Luis Miranda also praised Oh’s hiring at 5000 Broadway Productions: “As a producer, Julie Oh is extremely dedicated, detailed, and she truly delivers. As a leader, she is unmatched. We could not be more pleased to welcome her to 5000 Broadway Productions as our new, and first, Head of Film & TV. Julie’s unwavering commitment to creative, diverse storytelling is an invaluable asset to our organization.”
Executive producers on “Octet” are Johnny Holland (“Friendship”), Owen Panettieri, and Diana DiMenna.
