Get ready to move to the music because Netflix has debuted the official teaser for Vivo, an upcoming animated film starring Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) as the titular kinkajou (aka a rainforest “honey bear").
Though the teaser is less than a minute in length, it's overflowing with rhythm and flair as we're introduced to Vivo and his master Andrés (Juan de Marcos González). The two spend their days playing music to the crowds in a lively Havana square. And while they may not be able to verbally communicate in the same language, they share a common love of music.
When Andrés receives a letter from his old partner Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), who is hoping to connect with her old friend at a farewell concert in Miami, Vivo answers the call and sets off on an adventure to deliver a message Andrés never could: a love letter to Marta, written long ago, in the form of a song. Vivo's journey across the ocean to Miami will see him team up with an energetic teen named Gabi(Ynairaly Simo).
An animated musical adventure that follows VIVO, a one-of-kind kinkajou (aka a rainforest “honey bear,” voiced by Miranda), who must find his way from Havana to Miami in order to deliver a song on behalf of his beloved owner and mentor Andres (Buena Vista Social Club’s Juan de Marcos Gonzáles).
Naturally, when you have someone like Lin-Manuel Miranda on board, you've got to make full use of his skills. Award-winning composer, lyricist, and actor -- creator of In the Height and Hamilton -- wrote the original songs in Vivo. Vivo is directed by Kirk DeMicco (The Croods) and co-directed by Brandon Jeffords (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2). Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book that Miranda adapted into the Broadway musical In the Heights, co-wrote Vivo's screenplay with DeMicco.
Vivo was originally slated to release in theaters on June 4, but Sony Pictures, the studio that originally backed the film, sold the release rights to Netflix. Sony did a similar thing with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's CG-animated family film The Mitchells vs. The Machines, which released on Netflix this week. Sony Pictures still retains the right to Vivo's release in China along with all home entertainment and linear television.
Vivo will make its debut on Netflix, presumably sometime this year, but doesn't yet have a specific release date.