You can now watch Hamilton without dressing up, heading to New York City, fighting for tickets and settling into your set on Broadway. Not that there's anything wrong with watching Hamilton in the Richard Rodgers Theatre, it's just that watching Hamilton at home, on your TV or phone or computer — it's way easier. (Plus Broadway is shut down right now.)
Where can you watch Hamilton online? Disney Plus .
The Disney+ streaming service is the exclusive home for those who want to stream Hamilton. And it comes at the right time, with much of the country still stuck inside — and right as the Fourth of July holiday arrives.
And that's it. Hamilton drops at 3 a.m. Eastern — that's midnight on the west coast — and you can stream it until the tape wears out. (Ask your parents, kids. That's a thing that used to happen.)
The film version stars the original Broadcast cast. That means Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton. That means Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr. That means Daveed Diggs as the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. It means Jonathan Groff as King George.
If there's one thing you want to stream this summer, it's Hamilton .
Read our complete Hamilton Film Review!
Only on Disney+
The only place to watch Hamilton
Disney+ is home to Star Wars and Pixar and Marvel and, well, Disney. And now it's the only place to stream Hamilton.
What's the big deal about Hamilton on Disney+?
If it seems like folks are making a big deal about Hamilton being on Disney+, it's because they are. And we are. Hamilton: An American Musical is the award-winning musical with music and lyrics from Lin-Manuel Miranda. It's an 18th century story told in the 21st century style. And when we say "award-winning," we mean 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score for Miranda. Best Actor in a Musical for Odom Jr. Best Featured Actor for David Diggs. Best Featured Actress for Renée Elise Goldsberry. And Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestrations.
And that's not even counting the five other Tony nominations garnered by Jonathan Groff (Featured Actor), Phillipa Soo (Best Actress), Christopher Jackson (Featured Actor), David Korins (Scenic Design) — and one more for nomination for Miranda for Best Actor.
Grammy Award? Sure thing — for Best Musical Theater Album. Billboard Music Award. Kennedy Center Honor. Edward M. Kennedy Prize. Fred and Adele Astaire Award. Drama League Awards.
And a little thing called the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
And that's just from the original Broadway production, which is what we're getting from the film version on Disney+.
Hamilton tickets were nearly impossible to get for the common folk of New York — so much so that the theater started holding a lottery, and lines routinely stretched around the block. Even the lines became an event .
When was the Hamilton film shot?
The Hamilton film — Hamilfilm , if you will — was filmed at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City over three days in June 2016, toward the end of the original Broadway cast's run. With but a few exceptions, what we're going to see in the Disney+ Hamilton stream is what you would have seen in the theater in New York in 2016.
There are are a few shots that were produced for the 2016 documentary Hamilton's America and instead are used here. And an ensemble cast member or two had already taken off. But otherwise, what you'll see here is what took place on the stage where it happened.
How long does the Hamilton film run?
The play (and film) comprises two acts. The first depicts Hamilton's arrival in New York, and him meeting his future wife, Eliza.
The second act takes on Hamilton's return from his stint as the U.S. Ambassador to France, his work with President George Washington — and his duel with Aaron Burr.
Two acts, and only two acts — but the Hamilton film itself runs a whopping 160 minutes, or more than two and a half hours.
Is Hamilton on Netflix?
No. Hamilton is on Disney+, not Netflix. If someone tells you Hamilton is on Netflix, they're lying.
Nor is there any indication that Hamilton will be available anywhere either than Disney Plus. Don't expect Hamilton on iTunes. Don't expect Hamilton on the Google Play Store.
At least not anytime soon.
Does Hamilton cost extra on Disney Plus?
Nope. A simple Disney+ subscription is all you need to watch Hamilton on Disney Plus.
That's true whether you have the standalone Disney+ subscription plan, or whether you have the massive Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu bundle, which gets you all three services for just $12.99 a month.
Do you need a VPN to watch Hamilton on Disney+?
Here's the thing: If you live in a country that already has access to Disney+, you should be good to go.
That means the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy ,and Spain.
Of you're elsewhere, you may need to consider a VPN to get in to Disney Plus. Just be sure to follow the applicable rules and laws in your country and don't get yourself (or us) in trouble.
Can you use a free trial to watch Hamilton ?
Disney+ doesn't do free trials anymore. So if you want to watch Hamilton on Disney Plus, you're going to need to cough up at least $6.99 for one month of service.
Or feel free to just miss your shot.
