Universal clearly has a lot of confidence in the upcoming film adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical, “Dear Evan Hansen.” Not only is the studio hoping that the popularity of recent releases like Disney+’s “Hamilton” and musicals such as “Mamma Mia” and “The Greatest Showman” will make “Dear Evan Hansen” a huge hit when it finally hits theaters, but the studio is putting together an incredible cast to ensure that success.
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According to Deadline, Universal has signed Amy Adams to join the growing cast for the adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen.” The Oscar-nominated actress joins a cast that includes young actors such as Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, and Amandla Stenberg. In the film, Adams will play Cynthia Murphy, the mother of a teen that dies by suicide and is drawn into a larger situation with the title character, who pens a letter that is mistaken as his classmate’s suicide note.
The film adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen” is written by the musical’s author, Steven Levenson, and directed by Stephen Chbosky, who is probably best known for being the filmmaker behind “Wonder” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
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It almost goes without saying that Amy Adams is one of the finest actors working today. Having been nominated for multiple Oscars, including for her most recent film,” Vice,” she has proven to be a name that lends instant credibility to any project she joins. And though we’re excited to see what she can do in “Dear Evan Hansen,” it’s interesting to note that Adams hasn’t really stretched her acting muscles in a musical like this in quite some time. Back in the early days of her career, she appeared in whimsical films such as “Enchanted” that proved she is able to do that type of role well. However, in recent years, Adams has been prominent in more dramatic fare such as “Arrival,” “Nocturnal Animals,” and upcoming films such as “The Woman in the Window” and “Hillbilly Elegy.” It’ll be fun to see her go in a different direction with this new feature.
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It’s unclear when production on “Dear Evan Hansen” will begin or when Universal is hoping to premiere the film. Obviously, this is a title that is expected to be a big release, which could be a good summer film or even a holiday release. We’ll just have to wait and see.