Hamilton will be censored when it arrives on Disney+

23 June 2020, 12:01

Disney releases new sneak peek trailer for Hamilton - The Movie

By Katie Louise Smith

Lin-Manuel Miranda explained that some of the f-bomb lyrics have been removed so that "the kids could see it".

We have waited for it, and now, the moment is almost here. A live-recording of Hamilton, starring the original Broadway cast, is about drop right into our laps thanks to Disney+.

The production that we're about to see on the streaming service was filmed over three days back in 2016, and has been edited into a feature-length movie – complete with a one-minute intermission. The stunning trailer was released yesterday (June 22), but some fans had a few questions about the film's rating.

Noting that Hamilton had been rated PG-13 instead of R, one fan took to Twitter to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda if the original production had been changed for Disney.

They asked: "As it’s rated PG-13 does that mean that some (iconic) lines have been cut?? Is it changed at all?"

@Lin_Manuel hey hey so excited about Hamilton on Disney+ and OH my god I finally get to see you as A.Ham, BUT as it’s rated PG-13 does that mean that some (iconic) lines have been cut?? Is it changed at all? ⭐️
— Holly Harris (@Hozzerharris) June 22, 2020

If you've been lucky enough to see Hamilton live in the theatre, or if you've spent any amount of time listening to the soundtrack over and over again, you'll know that there's a couple of swear words scattered throughout the production.

In response to the tweet, A. Ham himself, Lin-Manuel, clarified the reasoning behind the rating, explaining that while fans will be able to see the whole show as it is presented on stage, there will be two tiny omissions: The word "fuck".

He tweeted: "LANGUAGE! 1. On July 3, you're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!) 2. But MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of "Fuck" is an automatic R rating. We have 3 'Fucks' in our show. So...

"...I literally gave two fucks so the kids could see it: 1. In Yorktown, there's a mute over 'I get the f___ back up again' 2. 'Southern *record scratch*kin' Democratic Republicans.' You can sing whatEVER you like at home (even sync up the album)! Love you. Enjoy."

LANGUAGE!
1. On July 3, you're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!)
2. But MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of "Fuck" is an automatic R rating. We have 3 "Fucks" in our show. So...
1/2 https://t.co/7o3OQ34rqt
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 22, 2020

...I literally gave two fucks so the kids could see it:
1. In Yorktown, there's a mute over "I get the f___ back up again"
2. "Southern *record scratch*kin' Democratic Republicans."
You can sing whatEVER you like at home (even sync up the album)!
Love you. Enjoy.
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 22, 2020

So, to clarify: The "fucks" in 'Yorktown' and 'Washington On Your Side' have been censored.

But the good news is, the lyric from 'Say No To This' where James Reynolds and Alexander Hamilton sing "You see, that was my wife who you decided to (fuuuuuuu)" has remained in tact and will appear in the Disney+ version.

Arguably the best and most important almost-fuck in the show, tbh.

'Right Hand Man's "Boom! Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray" lyric will also stay in the show. As will the iconic opening line, "How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore..."