Vivo: First look at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s animated musical as it heads to Netflix

A first look at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s animated musical Vivo has been revealed as the movie heads to Netflix.

The film features songs by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda who also voices the film’s title character, a one-of-kind kinkajou (a rainforest ‘honey bear’) called Vivo.

Vivo must find his way from Havana to Miami in order to deliver a song on behalf of his beloved owner and mentor Andres (voiced by Buena Vista Social Club’s Juan de Marcos Gonzáles).

The musical features a score by Hamilton orchestrator Alex Lacamoire and a screenplay from In The Heights book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes. The filmed is directed by Kirk DeMicco (The Croods) and co-directed by Brandon Jeffords (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2).

You can watch a first teaser trailer below…

Voice talent includes three-time Grammy-winning Latin pop legend Gloria Estefan as Marta, the love of Andres’ life, newcomer Ynairaly Simo as Gabi, Andres’ grand-niece, Zoe Saldana as Rosa, Gabi’s mother, Michael Rooker as Lutador, a villainous Everglades python and Brian Tyree Henry and Nicole Byer as a pair of star-crossed spoonbills.

Further cast inludes Leslie David Baker as a Florida bus driver, and Katie Lowes, Olivia Trujillo, and Lidya Jewett as a trio of well-meaning but overzealous scout troopers.

Netflix tease: “Vivo is an exhilarating story about gathering your courage, finding family in unlikely friends, and the belief that music can open you to new worlds.”

The film was originally due a theatrical release in June but will now drop on the streaming service worldwide this summer. A release date is to be confirmed.

About the author: Jessica White

Recent University graduate Jessica is the newest writer for Stageberry. She's over the moon to be sharing her theatre knowledge and passion for musicals with the online world.