Move over Alexander Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda has a new starring role.
Netflix has released the first trailer for “Vivo,” a colorful, animated musical with original songs written by Miranda.
The musical adventure follows a kinkajou (a rainforest “honey bear”) named Vivo, voiced by Miranda. Vivo spends his days playing music to the crowds in a lively Havana square with his beloved owner Andrés. Though they may not speak the same language, Vivo and Andrés are the perfect duo through their common love of music. But, tragedy strikes when Andrés receives a letter from his old partner, famous musician Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), inviting him to attend her farewell concert in Miami. It soon becomes up to Vivo to deliver a message to Marta for Andrés in the form of song. To get to the distant land of Miami, Vivo enlists the help of Gabi (newcomer Ynairaly Simo) — an energetic teen who bounces to the beat of her own offbeat drum.
The voice cast also includes Juan de Marcos González, Zoe Saldana, Brian Tyree Henry, Nicole Byer, Michael Rooker, Leslie David Baker, Katie Lowe, Olivia Trujillo and Lidya Jewett.
“Vivo” is directed by Kirk DeMicco (“The Croods”) with co-director Brandon Jeffords (“Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2”). Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for Miranda’s “In The Heights,” co-wrote the screenplay alongside DeMicco.
The film, which marks Sony Pictures Animation’s first musical endeavor, was initially slated for a theatrical release on June 4. Netflix recently acquired the worldwide rights excluding China from Sony Pictures, which means the film will run exclusively on the streamer in the likes of Sony’s “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” and “Wish Dragon.” Sony retained all rights in China, along with home entertainment and linear tv rights everywhere else, following periods of exclusivity on Netflix.
