by Tim Gordon
Five years ago, on July 3, 2020, as the world stood still in lockdowns and uncertainty, a singular piece of art arrived on millions of screens at once, stitching together a fractured moment with the power of live theater captured on film. Hamilton, the groundbreaking Broadway musical filmed with its original cast, premiered on Disney+, and in doing so, it redefined how a stage production could shape culture far beyond the velvet seats of a theater.
The story of Hamilton begins, fittingly, with a man who was an immigrant, an orphan, and a relentless writer — Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s Founding Fathers, whose life until then lingered in the shadows of history books. Lin-Manuel Miranda, inspired by Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography, saw in Hamilton’s rise a narrative that felt urgent and universal. He translated that story into a vibrant tapestry of hip-hop, R&B, pop, and traditional show tunes, merging the past with the present to tell the ultimate origin story of America.
Premiering on Broadway in 2015, Hamilton quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Critics declared it one of the most singular achievements in Broadway history, praising its bold casting, genre-defying music, and searing commentary on legacy and nation-building. The original cast, including Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, Phillipa Soo as Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, Christopher Jackson as George Washington, Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler, Daveed Diggs as both Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, and many others delivered performances that would become instantly iconic.
When the pandemic shuttered theaters worldwide, the decision to release Hamilton on Disney+ was more than a streaming event; it was an act of preservation and hope. The film, directed by Thomas Kail, who helmed the Broadway production, wasn’t just a recording; it was a masterclass in cinematic stagecraft. Close-ups captured sweat, breath, and emotion, letting audiences feel the pulse of live theater from their living rooms. For many, it was their first chance to witness this modern masterpiece.
Since that release, Hamilton has rippled through popular culture, academia, and even classrooms, where teachers use its songs to spark curiosity about the nation’s founding and the flaws woven into its fabric. It has inspired countless young artists to pick up a pen, a mic, or an instrument. It has expanded the conversation about representation on stage, proving that stories about the past can and must be told by America’s present.
Five years on, the legacy of Hamilton on Disney+ is not just about a musical preserved on film; it’s about a cultural moment that reminded us that history is alive, messy, and open to reinterpretation. The question it poses, “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” resonates louder than ever in an era grappling with what America was, is, and could be.
The revolution may have been televised, but thanks to Hamilton, it’s still being sung.