Dear Evan Hansen is an upcoming young-adult teen drama based on the 2015 Broadway musical of the same name. The film's screenplay has been adapted from the original stage musical script by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. Meanwhile, the stage production was itself based on a book by Steven Levenson.

On September 9, Dear Evan Hansen will premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. Universal Pictures will distribute the film. The studio acquired the rights back in November 2018.

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Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley told ScreenDaily in December 2020 that the film had wrapped up its production. Out of the total runtime of 2 hours 17 minutes, over 1 hour 18 minutes consists of 16 songs.

Ben Platt and Kaitlyn Dever starrer Dear Evan Hansen: Streaming and release details, and cast

While the film will have its global premiere on September 9, Dear Evan Hansen will hit theaters on September 24, 2021 (in the USA and Canada). Countries like Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Slovakia will have the film's release a day earlier, on September 23.

Meanwhile, the UK release is slated for almost a month later, on October 22, and Australia's is on December 2.

Since Universal does not yet have its own streaming service, Dear Evan Hansen is expected to be available exclusively on NBC's Peacock streaming service.

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While previously Universal films also went on to stream on platforms like HBO Max, newer movies were announced to be exclusively available on Peacock. It is expected to be available for streaming after four months of theatrical releases, according to Reuters.

Furthermore, viewers may also be able to watch the film at the premiere (September 9) of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival at their digital screening platform, TIFF Bell Lightbox. The premiere would be available from a potential price of $4.99 to $14.99 (for the rental).

Synopsis:

Evan Hansen is a high-school teen with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). One of his high-school mates, Connor Murphy, steals Hansen's note to self. Later, Murphy commits suicide, and his family mistakenly thinks the letter to have been addressed to Hansen.

The film stars Ben Platt as the titular character Evan Hansen. Platt also played the character in the original play. The casting choice sparked some nepotism controversy, as Platt's father, Marc, is also the film's producer.

Kaitlyn Dever (of Booksmart fame) is co-starring in the role of Zoe Murphy. Other supporting cast members include Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, and Colton Ryan.

WHO STARS IN THE DEAR EVAN HANSEN MOVIE?

There's a mostly fresh cast in the upcoming film. Along with Platt and Ryan, the film stars Amy Adams, Danny Pino, Kaitlyn Dever, Julianne Moore, and Amandla Stenberg. Plus, there are new scenes and new music.

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"I think the main change, other than the fact that there are two new songs, is a kind of extended third act of the film in which we get to see a little bit more of Evan's repentance and redemption and the work that he does subsequently to make amends and really get to know who Connor was and try to help the family heal," Platt told Vanity Fair. "He's not, like, quite as off the hook as he is in the musical, where you've been sitting in a theater for two and a half hours and you're kind of ready to wrap it up."

IS THERE A DEAR EVAN HANSEN MOVIE TRAILER?

Yes! Universal released the trailer this afternoon. To watch, just scroll up and you'll find the trailer in the video above.

WHEN DOES DEAR EVAN HANSEN PREMIERE?

The Dear Evan Hansen movie is set to debut in theaters on Friday, Sept. 24.

WILL DEAR EVAN HANSEN BE AVAILABLE TO STREAM?

Because Dear Evan Hansen comes from Universal Pictures, audiences will likely have the chance to see the movie at home not too long after its theatrical premiere. As part of a deal the production company struck with chains like AMC and Cinemark, Universal can release films on VOD just 17 days after they hit theaters. Dear Evan Hansen is set to premiere Sept. 24, which means at-home audiences could see the movie from the comfort of their living rooms as soon as Oct. 11.

Dear Evan Hansen Review

In the film version of Dear Evan Hansen, Ben Platt's face is a problem. From his first close-up, his is undeniably one of a full-grown man, who has been comically miscast as a sheepish teen boy. No slouched shoulders or downcast eyes can hide that. Sure, Platt originated the role of the titular teen when the coming-of-age musical - and his portrayal - won scads of accolades on Broadway. All the same, allowing him to reprise the role in the movie is not just a major misstep, but the most glaring mistake of director Stephen Chbosky's wonky adaptation.

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The plot of Dear Evan Hansen feels like something out of Riverdale, audacious and disturbing with heavy doses of teen angst, hot button issues, musical numbers, and dysfunctional family drama playing out in a posh home. Even still, this movie can't hold a candle to that outrageous series' sense of style.

In an unremarkable high school in Maryland, Evan Hansen (Platt) is a wallflower unnoticed by everyone. That is until a strange twist of fate — after a classmate's death by suicide — makes him the unexpected center of attention. A misunderstanding leads the Murphy family to believe that Evan was the secret best friend of their recently deceased son, Connor (Colton Ryan). Panicked but also desperate to be a part of the world of this affluent, effusive family - that happens to include his secret crush Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever) - Evan lies, spinning more and more elaborate stories of this fictional friendship. Between these grieving parents (Amy Adams and Danny Pino), their wounded daughter, and the lonely boy, a fragile bond blossoms. But as Evan's story goes viral, their shady solace is threatened.

This melodramatic premise is enhanced by the stage show's songs, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. What Evan can't dare say to the world, he expresses through belted ballads about his choking loneliness and unspoken infatuation for Zoe. Similarly, the Murphy family's private forms of mourning are displayed through a three-part "Requiem." Yet, the most powerful songs are those that speak most directly to struggles with mental illness. From the original Broadway Cast Recording, "You Will Be Found" is a showstopper, literally spotlighting Evan so he can sing about how hard it is to be alone in the darkness and the importance of community. Then, Pasek and Paul created two new tracks for the movie ("A Little Closer" and "Anonymous Ones") that wisely give voice to the struggle of other characters, adding new depth and smart opportunities to allow the film's other stars to shine.

Verdict

In Dear Evan Hansen, Ben Platt reprises the role that made him a hit on Broadway. However, he's a bad fit for the banal setting that director Stephen Chbosky plunks down in this clunky musical. While Platt's singing is stellar, his performance is a superficial impersonation of youth, which goes through the motions but doesn't land the emotions. Platt is outshone by a supporting cast that includes Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Julianne Moore, all of whom offer exhilaratingly poignant moments. Though Chbosky's staging is uninspired, the songs - both old and new - are nonetheless powerful, which might be enough of a lure for fans of the show or musicals in general. Sadly, Platt's calamitous casting dooms this adaptation to cringe-worthy awkwardness.

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