Dear Evan Hansen is heading to the big screen


All good things must come to an end ... or must they?
On Thursday, Universal Pictures announced that it has acquired the film rights to the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. The director behind the film Wonder, Stephen Chbosky, is in early talks to direct, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Dear Evan Hansen follows a high schooler who suffers from social anxiety as he accidentally gets caught up in the aftermath of his classmate's suicide. The musical received nine Tony nominations and took home five, including best musical, best actor (Ben Platt), best featured actress (Rachel Bay Jones), and best score.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Platt, who originated the role and is also known for playing Benji in Pitch Perfect, is reportedly in talks to recreate his award-winning performance for the film. The movie will see other familiar faces in playwright Steven Levenson, who is set to pen the script, along with lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul who wrote the music for the show and will act as executive producers on the film, reports The Chicago Tribune.
The musical first opened in 2016, raking in $159.5 million to date, and is currently on a national tour.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Amari Pollard is the social media editor at The Week and has written for Reader's Digest, Parents, and Inside Lacrosse. She studied journalism at Le Moyne College and can usually be found exploring Brooklyn, thrift shopping, or spending way too much money on brunch.
-
How will the new Repayment Assistance Plan for student loans work?
the explainer The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will replace existing income-driven repayment plans
-
In the Spotlight Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been at odds with US forces
-
Music reviews: Ethel Cain, Amaarae, and The Black Keys
Feature "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You," "Black Star," and "No Rain, No Flowers"
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show