Broadway Musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Getting Movie Treatment

By Justin Kroll

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Tony Award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen” is making its way to the big screen.

Universal Pictures has acquired film rights to the Broadway hit, with “Wonder” director Stephen Chbosky set to handle filmmaking duties.

Sources say Ben Platt, who originated the role and won a Tony for his performance, is in early talks to step back into his signature blue-striped shirt and arm cast for the movie. Ben’s dad, Marc Platt, and Adam Siegel are producing the adaptation, while “” playwright Steven Levenson is penning the script. “La La Land” and “The Greatest Showman” lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the music for the show, will serve as executive producers.

The story follows Hansen, a high schooler with social anxiety. He unintentionally gets caught up in a lie after the family of a classmate who committed suicide mistakes one of Hansen’s letters for their son’s suicide note.

The musical was nominated for nine Tonys and scored five, including best musical, best actor, best featured actress (Rachel Bay Jones), and best score. It is currently on a nationwide tour that includes a stop in Los Angeles.

Levenson and Chbosky is repped by WME and lawyers Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller. Pasek and Paul are repped by CAA, Kraft-Engel Management and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.