Film & TV NewsDear Evan Hansen Film, Starring Ben Platt, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Opens Nationwide September 24The soundtrack for the motion picture, based on the Tony-winning musical of the same name, also arrives from Interscope Records.
By
Andrew Gans
September 24, 2021
Ben Platt reprises his Tony-winning performance as a high school student caught at the center of a story that spirals out of control in the film version of Dear Evan Hansen, opening nationwide September 24. The Universal Pictures project, based on the Tony-winning musical of the same name, premiered September 9 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Watch the final trailer released for the movie musical above.
In addition to Platt as Evan Hansen, the cast also includes Oscar winner Julianne Moore as Evan's mom Heidi, Oscar nominee Amy Adams as Cynthia Murphy, Danny Pino as Larry Murphy, Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe Murphy, Amandla Stenberg as Alana Beck, Colton Ryan as Connor Murphy, and Nik Dodani as Jared Kleinman. DeMarius Copes, Gerald Caesar, Isaac Powell, and Liz Kate are also seen in new roles created for the adaptation.
Ben Platt and Nik Dodani in Dear Evan HansenErika Doss/Universal Pictures
Stephen Chbosky directs the film, with Steven Levenson adapting his book for the screen alongside the Tony- and Oscar-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The film features two new songs written by Pasek and Paul: “A Little Closer,” performed by Ryan; and “The Anonymous Ones,” performed by Stenberg, who co-wrote the lyrics and music with Pasek and Paul.
The Dear Evan Hansen film is produced by Marc Platt (La La Land, Into the Woods) and Adam Siegel (2 Guns, Drive), and is executive-produced by Levenson, Pasek, Paul, Bederman, and Stacey Mindich.
In related news, the soundtrack for the new film also arrives September 24 from Interscope Records. The recording features five bonus tracks performed by pop stars, including Carrie Underwood, Sam Smith, Summer Walker, SZA, Dan + Shay, Finneas, and Tori Kelly.
Dear Evan Hansen began previews at Broadway's Music Box November 14, 2016, prior to an official opening December 4. The musical was nominated for nine 2017 Tony Awards, winning six: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Platt), Best Featured Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Rachel Bay Jones), and Best Orchestrations.
The musical will return from its coronavirus-caused hiatus beginning December 11, with Jordan Fisher back in the title role.
Filmed in 2023, the one-night-only event featured Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Peter Friedman, and more from the Ahrens and Flaherty musical's original cast.
