Though producers Miranda, Jeffrey Seller and Thomas Kail may not have been sure at the time what they’d do with the footage, two performances were filmed in 2016.

A few of the musical numbers appeared in the PBS documentary Hamilton's America, which went behind the scenes of the creation of the production. But fans have since clamoured for the release of the full version, especially since tickets to the runaway hit set records for average prices. Bots and scalpers targeted the show; some seats at the final performances with the original Broadway cast came to cost nearly US$10,000.

Releasing the footage as a film is a massive move forward in affordability and accessibility to theatre – a topic that has long been important to Miranda.

“We are thrilled for fans of the show, and new audiences across the world, to experience what it was like on stage – and in the audience – when we shot this at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June of 2016,” Kail says. “We wanted to give everyone the same seat, which is what this film can provide.” Hamilton has since launched open-ended productions in Chicago and London, as well as numerous national tours.

While the release of a filmed stage production for the big screen is not uncommon – National Theatre Live is currently offering a stellar line-up on various screens, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag, Andrew Scott in Present Laughter and Gillian Anderson and Lily James in All About Eve – it is rare from one of the major Hollywood studios, which regularly dabble in the movie-musical space.

This is already a busier-than-usual year for the genre, with Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, Jon M. Chu’s In the Heights, Miranda's Tick, Tick … Boom! and Ryan Murphy's The Prom all on the way to the screen.

Each of these upcoming movie-musicals was cast, rehearsed and filmed separately from any live production, often leaving its cast and creatives to start from scratch. That can be tough, or too distinct a departure from the live experience of a stage show, which features a cast not only seasoned from originating their characters and performing hundreds of shows but also uniquely bonded from building the production together from the ground up.

In the case of Hamilton, Tony winners Jackson and Diggs had been playing their roles since the show's earliest workshop in 2013; the rest of the cast joined the show off-Broadway and later reprised their roles on Broadway.

Hamilton’s road from stage to studio might set a lucrative precedent for future commercial productions to prepare for potential major releases.

Such stipulations might have to be included in casting contracts as to not require any negotiations mid-run, which is what happened behind the scenes of Hamilton in 2016. Netflix might boost its presence on Broadway, having previously captured the plays of comedians such as Mike Birbiglia, John Leguizamo, Nick Kroll and John Mulaney.

Altogether, the announcement of the upcoming film is great news for Hamilton fans, including those who haven't been able to afford a ticket or a trip to a city where the show is running. Same for anyone who has ever wondered what all the fuss is about.

But it also might persuade potential cinema-goers to simply wait 18 months for the movie's release; they might not get the “live” experience, but they will have to pay only the cost of a movie ticket to see the show.

That is a risk Hamilton producers seem willing to take.

“I'm so proud of what Tommy Kail has been able to capture in this filmed version of Hamilton – a live theatrical experience that feels just as immediate in your local movie theatre,” Miranda says. “We're excited to partner with Disney to bring the original Broadway company of Hamilton to the largest audience possible.”